An end-of-life chatbot that helps terminally ill patients struggling with tough decisions is being tested by researchers.
The tablet-based bot can help guide people near the end of their lives through a number of difficult issues, including funeral plans, wills and spiritual questions.
The experts behind the technology say it was created to help people have important conversations before it’s too late.
The chatbot was designed by a team of doctors, hospital chaplains and scientists for people within a year of the end of their life. It automatically alerts caregivers and family members when a patient is ready to formalise plans (stock image)
‘We see a need for technology to intervene at an earlier point,’ lead researcher Professor Timothy Bickmore, of Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, told New Scientist.
He said the chatbot operates within specific boundaries to avoid ‘situations where the agent recommends things that are dangerous.’
The software was designed by a team of doctors, hospital chaplains and scientists for people within a year of the end of their life.
It automatically alerts caregivers and family members when a patient is ready to formalise plans.
The latest version of the software can even guide users through meditation sessions and chat to them about treatment, medication and exercise.
Unlike modern voice assistants Siri and Alexa, the chatbot is not fully autonomous, instead asking patients to select options from a list of pre-written responses.
These responses are coupled with an animated character run through a dialogue engine, which is integrated with the tablet.
An end-of-life chatbot that helps terminally ill patients struggling with difficult decisions is being tested by researchers. The tablet-based bot can help guide people near the end of their lives through a number of difficult issues including funeral arrangements (stock image)
‘It’s made to be put on a tablet computer and sent home with a patient for six months of continual use,’ Professor Bickmore said.
‘Patients use the tablet up multiple times per day and have conversations about different topics as they need to.
‘Part of the system is designed to just keep them company, to tell them stories and do social chat.’
Early tests of the software on patients in Boston have shown promising results.
Forty four people aged 55 and over used the bot, of which just under half had a chronic illness, while almost all had spent time with someone who was dying.
Most of the participants said talking to the chatbot helped relieve anxiety about death, and meant they were more ready to complete their last will and testament.
The success of this early trial means Professor Bickmore and his team will now test the software on a larger group of 364 people within a year of the end of their life.
He said in future the chatbot could be particularly useful to socially isolated people who don’t have anyone to speak to.
It could also act as a first-step for people before they have difficult conversations with a loved one.