SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New research from Italy has combined the Social Assistive Robot (SAR) technology found in the humanoid robot Pepper from United Robotics Group with the proven online cognitive training exercises found in the online BrainHQ app from Posit Science.
Social robot helps seniors with BrainHQ brain training
Researchers from the University of Bari Aldo Moro and the University of Salerno published their findings in the peer-reviewed CEUR Workshops Proceedings. Their goal is to improve life for frail older adults by merging the social, supportive features of Pepper with the cognitive, psychological, and behavioral benefits proven across more than 100 BrainHQ studies among healthy older adults and those with pre-dementia and dementia. This novel approach pairs validated cognitive training with the motivational and relational advantages intrinsic to social robots.
“Pepper acts as an interactive intermediary between the user and the cognitive training platform, delivering voice-based instructions, dynamically adapting its behavior to the user’s cognitive state, and providing encouragement when signs of fatigue or difficulty are detected,” the researchers reported. “Consequently, the robot assumes an active and supportive role, not merely as a technical interface, but as a socially engaging partner, thereby enhancing sustained user participation and maximizing the effectiveness of the cognitive intervention.”
The researchers found that the users generally scored this early pilot version of robot coaching pretty highly (mostly in the top two quintiles), particularly in relation to overall system performance and the BrainHQ experience. In contrast, questions concerning answer coherence and conversational quality exhibited a slightly broader distribution of responses.
"Brain training requires focus and persistence," noted Dr. Henry Mahncke, a leading brain plasticity researcher and CEO of Posit Science, which makes BrainHQ. "Apparently, it’s hard to procrastinate when your coach is a charming four-foot-tall robot rolling into your living room to hand you your tablet and watch you do your exercises. We’ll need more research to know whether that initial feeling of being charmed will evolve into being as annoyed with your robot as with an overly-demanding personal trainer, but I’m hopeful."
“This breakthrough combination of technologies underscores that just about anyone can change the trajectory of their brain health for the better,” Dr. Mahncke added. “By adopting structured, brain-healthy activities proven to work in gold standard studies, we can look forward to strong cognitive function as we age, with or without the help of robots. But as a longtime fan of Rosie the Robot on The Jetsons and with a daughter who is pursuing a career in robotics, I think a robot would be a welcome addition at our house.”
The researchers plan to continue to conduct research to determine the feasibility, acceptance, and impact of SARs in promoting biopsychosocial health in vulnerable populations and to support personalized, human-centered digital health strategies.
BrainHQ has shown benefits in more than 300 studies. Such benefits include gains in cognition (attention, speed, memory, decision-making), in quality of life (depressive symptoms, confidence and control, health-related quality of life) and in real-world activities (health outcomes, balance, driving, workplace activities). BrainHQ is used by leading health plans, medical centers, clinics, and communities, and by elite athletes, the military, and other organizations focused on peak performance. Consumers can try a BrainHQ exercise for free daily at https://www.brainhq.com.
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Contact: media@brainhq.com
