This trial represents the final stage of the CARESSES project which aimed to develop and evaluate a culturally competent artificial intelligent system embedded into social robots to support older adult wellbeing. A parallel group, single-blind randomised controlled trial was conducted across older adult care homes in England and Japan. Participants randomly allocated to the Experimental Group or Control Group 1 received a Pepper robot for up 18 h across 2 weeks. Two versions of the CARESSES artificial intelligence were tested: a fully culturally competent system (Experimental Group) and a more limited version (Control Group 1). Control Group 2 (Care As Usual) participants did not receive a robot. Quantitative outcomes of interest reported in the current paper were health-related quality of life (SF-36), loneliness (ULS-8), and perceptions of robotic cultural competence (CCATool-Robotics). Thirty-three residents completed all procedures. The difference in SF-36 Emotional Wellbeing scores between Experimental Group and Care As Usual participants over time was significant (F[1] = 6.614, sig = .019, η_p² = .258), as was the comparison between Any Robot used and Care As Usual (F[1] = 5.128, sig = .031, η_p² = .146). There were no significant changes in SF-36 physical health subscales. ULS-8 loneliness scores slightly improved among Experimental and Control Group 1 participants compared to Care As Usual participants, but this was not significant. This study brings new evidence which cautiously supports the value of culturally competent socially assistive robots in improving the psychological wellbeing of older adults residing in care settings.

该试验代表了 CARESES 项目的最后阶段，该项目旨在开发和评估嵌入社交机器人以支持老年人福祉的具有文化能力的人工智能系统。在英国和日本的老年护理院开展了一项平行组、单盲随机对照试验。随机分配到实验组或对照组 1 的参与者在 2 周内收到一个 Pepper 机器人长达 18 小时。CARESSES 人工智能的两个版本进行了测试：一个完全具有文化能力的系统（实验组）和一个更有限的版本（对照组 1）。对照组 2（照常护理）参与者没有收到机器人。本论文中报告的感兴趣的定量结果是与健康相关的生活质量 (SF-36)、孤独感 (ULS-8)、和对机器人文化能力的看法（CCATool-Robotics）。33 名居民完成了所有手续。随着时间的推移，实验组和照常护理参与者之间的 SF-36 情绪健康评分差异显着（F[1] = 6.614，sig = .019，η_p ²  = .258），使用的任何机器人和照常护理之间的比较也是如此（F[1] = 5.128，sig = .031，η _p ²  = .146）。SF-36 身体健康分量表没有显着变化。与照常护理参与者相比，实验组和对照组 1 参与者的 ULS-8 孤独感评分略有提高，但这并不显着。这项研究带来了新的证据，谨慎地支持具有文化能力的社会辅助机器人在改善居住在护理环境中的老年人的心理健康方面的价值。