It's important to note that assistance dogs are not pets. They are highly trained to perform specific tasks that their handler cannot perform themselves due to a disability.
What does an assistance dog do for its handler and which of these could in some part have a role provided by a Robot assistance dog.
To some extent a Robotic Assistance Dog could provide the following support: Guidance for Vision Impaired people, Therapeutic Support and Social and Emotional Support
In the future this could extend to: Mobility Assistance, Alerting to Medical Issues and Daily Living Assistance.
Here are some of the key functions and services Canine Assistance dogs provide.
Guidance for People with sight loss:
For those who are blind or have severe vision impairments, guide dogs help them navigate their surroundings, avoiding obstacles, and safely crossing streets.
- Obstacle Avoidance: They are trained to navigate obstacles in the environment, whether these are stationary (like a lamppost) or moving (like pedestrians).
- Traffic Awareness: Guide dogs are taught to stop at curbs and understand the flow of traffic, helping their handler to safely cross streets. They are trained to make decisions to keep their handler safe, such as disobeying a command to walk forward if there is a car approaching.
- Locating Objects and Places: Guide dogs can be trained to locate specific objects or places on command, such as finding a seat, an exit, a staircase, or an elevator.
- Intelligent Disobedience: This is a critical aspect of a guide dog's training where they will refuse to obey a command if it puts the handler in danger. For example, not moving forward into the street if a car is coming, even if the handler commands them to go.
- Social Interaction: These dogs also assist in social interactions, acting as an icebreaker and helping their handlers engage more easily with others.
- Emotional Support and Companionship: While their primary role is navigation, guide dogs also provide companionship, enhancing the well-being and confidence of their handlers.
- Adapting to Varied Environments: Guide dogs are trained to work in various environments, from quiet country roads to bustling city centres, and even in places like offices, shops, and public transport.
Hearing Assistance for Deaf or Hard of Hearing:
- These dogs alert their handlers to important sounds, such as doorbells, alarms, phones ringing, or even someone calling the handler's name.
Mobility Assistance:
- Mobility assistance dogs are trained to help individuals who have difficulty moving around. This includes support for wheelchair users, opening and closing doors, retrieving objects, and even helping with balance and stability for those with mobility impairments.
Alerting to Medical Issues:
- Some assistance dogs are trained to alert their handlers to medical conditions such as low blood sugar levels in diabetics, seizures in individuals with epilepsy, or even changes in heart rate or blood pressure.
Psychiatric Service:
- For individuals with psychiatric conditions such as PTSD, anxiety disorders, or autism, these dogs provide calming pressure during anxiety attacks, interrupt self-harming behaviours, and offer a sense of security in stressful environments.
Therapeutic Support:
- While not technically service dogs, therapy dogs provide emotional or therapeutic support to individuals in hospitals, nursing homes, and other settings. They are known for their calm and friendly nature.
Social and Emotional Support:
- Assistance dogs can also help their handlers in social situations, reducing anxiety and increasing the handler's confidence in public settings.
Daily Living Assistance:
- They can perform tasks like turning light switches on and off, opening and closing drawers, and helping in other small tasks that can be challenging for someone with a disability.
