@theretheirtheyreshow @ba.design.gold
18-22 JUNE 2026
Unit 8, 133 Copeland Rd, London, SE15 3SN
Unit 8, 133 Copeland Rd, London, SE15 3SN
Sunny : Social Robot for Dementia Care
Sonali Patel
Behind every dementia diagnosis is a collapsing social ecosystem. The condition is as much a social challenge as a clinical one, placing an immense tax on the family members and staff who navigate the daily restlessness and confusion that dementia brings. Sunny is a robotic sloth designed to support this environment. It is soft and weighted, created to be held rather than operated. Because it takes the form of an animal, it provides a signal of safety and quiet, asking nothing of the person holding it.
Inside its shell, Sunny uses three physical features to help settle the nervous system: a rhythmic breathing motion, internal warmth, and a heartbeat. By bringing together heat, weight, and movement into a single companion, Sunny acts as a sensory anchor for those experiencing distress. The project moves the focus of robotics away from performing complex tasks and toward simply being with a person, offering connection when words are no longer enough.
Inside its shell, Sunny uses three physical features to help settle the nervous system: a rhythmic breathing motion, internal warmth, and a heartbeat. By bringing together heat, weight, and movement into a single companion, Sunny acts as a sensory anchor for those experiencing distress. The project moves the focus of robotics away from performing complex tasks and toward simply being with a person, offering connection when words are no longer enough.
Robot
Healthcare
AI