Companion bots don’t just help take care of the elderly; they’re a source of comfort and friendship as well. More companion bots are cropping up in assisted living facilities due to the drop in health care workers (Image via Toyota)
Support bots that work in senior living facilities to help out the elderly have been around for a few years now. These bots can be essential for helping to take care of someone whether it’s bringing them a drink or monitoring their movement making sure they don’t fall. But recent studies in Japan have shown they serve an even greater purpose: companionship.
In 2016, the annual birth rate in Japan dropped below a million for the first time since 1889. A quarter of the country’s population is already reaching an older age. This means not enough able bodied people to work in these homes and not enough relatives to help look after the elderly. And when you don’t have much of your family to look after you, it can get pretty lonely. The elderly are often isolated increasing their risk of various ailments including cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. But these robotic companions alleviate some of these issues.
Though these companion bots are still a far cry from what sci-fi has dreamed up, they still provide a wide range of services for the elderly, such as providing emotional support, serving and fetching. And these bots are popping up more and more in Japan with a wide variety to choose from. There’s Honda’s Asimo, who’s come a long way since its face planting incident. Now it can climb stairs, jump, and even use sign language. Honda hopes to have the bot serve as a gofer for the elderly in the future.
The petite Dinsow acts more like a personal assistant with reminders for taking medication, answering incoming calls, and keeping track of health stats. A similar bot dubbed ElliQ will be released in the States by the end of the year. It has the same functionality of Dinsow, but it will also check in with how you’re feeling and will even suggest going outside for some fresh air. It relies on machine learning to figure out your preferences.
Other countries are starting to get in on it too. Care-o-bot from Fraunhofer IPA has been placed in various German assisted living facilities. Not only can it deliver food and drinks, but it's also a source of entertainment. It can play memory games to help keep your mind sharp. And if humanoid bots aren’t your thing, there are companion bots made to look like pets, like the Paro which looks like a Canadian seal pup.
Though results have been impressive, not all medical care professionals are fans of these bots. Susan Madlung, gerontologist and Clinical Educator for Regional Programs and Home Health Re-Design at Vancouver Coastal Health, believes companion bots will only compound an elderly person’s isolation. She thinks people won’t be fully comfortable with a live-in robot for a long time. While having a companion bot does address the concern for more caregivers, she thinks at the end of the day
“humans need humans.” Perhaps robot companions aren’t a long term solution for elderly care, but it seems to be impactful at the moment.
This isn’t the first time I’ve talked about companion robots. None have quite caught on just yet, but it’s getting closer. See these four articles: one, two, three, and four. Personally, I am waiting for the Spinmaster "Hero BB-8" Star Wars toy - it follows you around. A bit useless, but sounds cool.
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