News and Stories

 

For Kineta Tober, a master's student in Cyberspace Behavior and E-therapy, research has always been about people.

 

Now, in a joint placement with Bruyère Health and Université du Québec en Outaouais, Tober is investigating how artificial intelligence-powered virtual companions might support older adults with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia. Her thesis focuses on “Kiera,” an AI companion designed to engage users in positive reminiscence conversations about childhood memories and reduce experiences of loneliness.

 

As part of the team’s research, Tober compared interactions with Kiera on a standard computer screen versus within a virtual reality (VR) headset. The study revealed no significant differences between the two approaches. Residents in long-term and transitional care rated their sense of being with Kiera just as positively on a computer screen as through the VR headset, suggesting that highly immersive technology may not be essential for residents interacting with virtual companions. This has promising implications for accessibility, since screen-based delivery is cheaper and easier to implement than VR.

 

That said, immersion still mattered for some.

 

“Immersive virtual reality may be particularly relevant for lonelier individuals,” reflected Tober on her findings. “People with higher baseline levels of loneliness appeared to benefit more from the interactions with Kiera and were more socially present with the VR headset than on the computer.”

 

What stood out most was the depth of engagement. Some participants spoke with Kiera for up to an hour. Many shared that while family members and caregivers care deeply, they do not always have the time for elaborate reminiscence.

 

“Even if someone is telling a story for the thirtieth time, Kiera remains endlessly patient and enthusiastic, inviting people to share memories as if it were hearing them for the first time,” said Tober. “I hope this is a positive way for older adults to feel like they always have someone to talk to, feel genuinely listened to, and to gain additional cognitive stimulation.”

 

As Tober prepares to begin a PhD at Oxford University studying voice-based conversational AI for people experiencing paranoia, her work at Bruyère Health highlights the exciting potential of AI to complement human care. With careful attention to safety, ethics, and human connection, she sees the potential of these technologies to become more accessible, better at inferring emotional states, and valuable tools for tackling loneliness in older adults.