News: HAL team presents research at Midwest Dementia Summit

October 12, 2026

Led by HAL Ph.D. student Ray Alavo, postdoctoral research associate Kristina Radivojevic Topalovic, co-director Ken Kelley, and student research assistants Katherine Kappaz and Susie Alcantar, the team shared current research at the Midwest Dementia Summit 2026 hosted by Alzheimer's & Dementia Services of Northern Indiana. Reflecting the summit theme of Escaping Tradition, the HAL team presented an example of an innovative, person-centered approach to dementia care.

The session highlighted research on robot-assisted reminiscence therapy using interactive social robots trained with advanced machine learning models. Researchers are testing personalized conversations about music, sports, and life experiences to improve engagement and well-being of individuals with dementia while supporting caregivers and staff.

The session offered highlights from an ongoing pilot study examining how different facilitator approaches influence client and caregiver outcomes.