196 Copyright © 2015, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited. Chapter 11 DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-8234-4.ch011 Robot Programming and Tangible Interfaces for Cognitive Training ABSTRACT This chapter presents the conceptual framework, the research rationale and preliminary outcomes of an innovative research agenda that explores the use of tangible interface and robot programming tasks as a method for providing cognitive training to patients with memory dysfunctions. The main argument of this approach is that when programming tasks and relevant tangible systems are used for cognitive training they activate and practice users’ logical-analytical and visuospatial skills, which may have benefcial impact on patients’ cognitive performance in daily activities. The chapter also presents pre- liminary outcomes from a pilot study where eleven patients sufering from mild cognitive impairment participated in a robot programming training session using the PROTEAS prototype tangible interface. Results (both qualitative and quantitative) revealed a signifcant negative correlation between patients’ “Task Completion Time” (TCT) and mental condition (as measured by MMSE index), indicating that TCT provides a measure directly related to patients’ cognitive capacity for analysis and planning. INTRODUCTION Research has already focused on the possible benefits from using tangible interfaces to trig- ger users’ specific cognitive processes and train respective skills (e.g. Sharlin et al., 2004). In the context of the ASPAD project (“Augmentation of the Support of Patients suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease and their caregivers”) we started explore the impact of employing tangible interfaces and Stavros Demetriadis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Vaitsa Giannouli Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece Theodosios Sapounidis Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece