We aim to develop and test a dyadic digital coach (DDC) – a novel AI-powered, mobile-based tool to empower oral self-care in older adults while leveraging dyadic relationships with their care partners. The DDC will require the development and implementation of a novel online reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm for dyads. This algorithm is an AI approach that continually interacts with each participant in real-time to learn to make decisions (e.g., about intervention delivery) that will maximize proximal benefits. The new RL algorithm will adapt and continually personalize the delivery of digital support to address the unique and changing needs of older adults and foster positive older adult-care partner dyadic interactions. This work builds on our considerable research collaboration involving transdisciplinary expertise spanning AI, dentistry/mHealth, user experience (UX) design, geriatrics, digital engagement, dyadic relationships, and industry (Oral B).
Funding:
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Funding Period:
04/01/2024 to 05/31/2024