Maria de Raposo Lima

Abstract:

Conversational AI provides an accessible interface for verbal engagement and home assistance among older adults and people affected by dementia. However, bridging the gap between real-world deployments, personalised care, and clinical utility remains a significant challenge. In this talk, I will first present a year-long deployment of conversational AI in smart homes with demonstrated potential for behaviour monitoring and proactive support in response to safety risks. I will then outline a machine learning approach that investigates spoken language features as biomarkers for automated assessment of cognitive impairment, with a focus on clinical applicability. While technically promising, the real-world value of such approaches depends on more than algorithmic performance – long-term feasibility, technology acceptance, and user engagement are essential. To this end, I will discuss novel insights from a series of human-robot interaction studies with active stakeholder involvement, including participatory workshops that explored the role of conversational AI in dementia care at home, a cultural feasibility study in India, and the design of an LLM-powered socially assistive robot for in-residence cognitive support. With this, I hope to stimulate discussion on how we can design and responsibly leverage this promising technology for long-term, meaningful user benefit.

Biography:

Maria Raposo de Lima is a postdoctoral researcher at Imperial College London and the UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research & Technology Centre. Her research focuses on conversational AI and socially assistive robots to support well-being and monitor cognitive health in ageing and dementia care. She received her PhD from Imperial College (2024) and was awarded the Dr Ashraf Ben El-Shanawany Memorial Prize for outstanding achievement in research, innovation and public engagement. During her PhD, Maria spent time at the University of Southern California Interaction Lab as a visiting researcher. She holds an MSc in Advanced Mechanical Engineering from Imperial and a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico, both with academic distinction awards. Maria is passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion in STEM, particularly women in engineering. She is an In2science UK mentor and regular host of secondary school students. She is also a volunteer with the elderly community, where she introduces robotics and AI technology through interactive workshops.