Memory, Companion Agents and Aging Society *

In the recent decades, improved quality of life and medical technology advancement have led to extension in life expectancy. However, neurological changes are commonly observed in the aging population – they are very often associated with gradual degenerative alteration in brain function, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, as well as healthy aging. Recently, an increasing number of people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia has been reported, leading to an increase in the demand for long term care facilities and staff. In order to tackle this problem, our research focuses on the creation of artificial companions with humanlike memory that can generate natural interaction with the user and maintain his/her memory function in a way comparable to cognitive training approaches in conjunction to the Healthcare and Quality of Life themes of the Digital Economy.