Android serves a glass of water: how robots work to care for the elderly

How robots help care for the elderly

Humanity is aging. According to WHO data, the percentage of people over 60 years old will double by 2050: if in 2015 their number was 12%, then in a quarter of a century it will be 22%. At the same time, there is currently a surge in the relative proportion of the elderly. Baby boomers (born from 1946 to 1964) are one of the largest generations.

All this suggests that the burden on the elderly care sector is already quite significant and will only grow. At the same time, there is a labor shortage: the American Health Association reports that 99% of nursing homes have open vacancies, but they are simply not in demand. Even migrants from the poorest countries do not particularly want to take these places.

Costs within the industry are also rising. According to Genworth's Cost of Care study, the cost of elderly care in the US is increasing. From 2019 to 2020, the cost of home care increased by approximately 4.4%, and the cost of nursing homes by 6.2%.

The use of robots helps reduce the burden on industries with a shortage of employees. And according to some estimates, it also reduces costs. For example, a monthly contract for the maintenance of Stevie, a robot developed by Trinity College Dublin, will cost 50-60% of the cost of hiring a person to perform the same tasks, according to their statement.

Machine solutions in this area can be divided into two large groups — assistant robots and companion robots.

Assistant Robots

Assistant robots perform physical tasks — lifting a person from bed, feeding, reminding to take medication.

Robear — Japanese lift for the elderly

The Japanese robot Robear appears as one of the first in the search engine when you search for "robot for elderly care". Essentially, its main task is to lift the patient from the bed and seat them in a wheelchair.

Quite prosaic — but, according to the developers, one employee of a nursing home has to perform this task about 40 times a day. Given the average human weight of 80 kg, this sounds like a weightlifting workout.

In addition to lifting, Robear helps the patient stand, and also turns bedridden patients to prevent bedsores.

The robot was developed by RIKEN and Sumitomo Riko Company Limited based on its two predecessors — RIBA and RIBA II robots. Unlike them, Robear uses AI for work and has a lower weight — 140 kg instead of 230 kg.

It is equipped with torque and tactile sensors, allowing it to perform tasks with a high degree of sensitivity and precision.

Obi — a robot that helps to eat

Another everyday activity that few people think of as a complex task is eating. The main goal of the Obi robot is to help with this aspect of life for elderly people, as well as those who have problems with their upper limbs.

Obi looks like a plate with an arm. The plate has four compartments, and a spoon is attached to the arm with a special magnet, which is brought to the mouth of the diner. It is recommended to cut the food into small pieces so that the robot can easily scoop it up.

Control is carried out using buttons. Obi uses AI algorithms to accurately extract food from specific compartments and place it in the mouth.

The creator of Obi, engineer Jon Dekar, was inspired by the experience of his grandfather, who could not eat independently in old age. The production is located in the American city of Jacksonville and is managed by Dekar himself along with his family.

Obi is classified as FDA Class 1 medical equipment. Dekar has received 10 patents in the USA, as well as UL and CE certificates. Currently, Obi is available in more than 20 countries.

The device can be purchased on the company's website for $8,000, but discounted purchase options are available. Obi also collaborates with nursing homes and medical institutions, offering them favorable conditions.

Companion robots

Such robots are aimed not so much at utilitarian assistance as at psychological support and entertainment for the elderly.

Paro — robot seal

Older people often feel lonely and bored. The task of companion robots is communication and mental stimulation. One of them is the therapeutic robotic seal Paro, perhaps the cutest robot we have ever seen.

It is designed to provide comfort and emotional support to people with dementia and other cognitive disorders. Paro responds to touch and can mimic animal behavior.

The project is based on the idea of animal therapy, a type of therapy in which animals and their images are used to provide psychotherapeutic assistance. The creator of the robot, Japanese scientist Takanori Shibata, began work on Paro in 1993, and 10 years later his creation saw the light of day.

PARO can recognize about 50 words, it has sensors that allow it to distinguish between day and night or when it is picked up. The robot has a "pet" mode, and there is a special, more gentle mode for people with dementia or autism.

Shibata explains that PARO is protected by several different patents and certificates. The robot is registered as a "neurological therapeutic medical device" (class II) with the FDA in the USA and is classified similarly in other countries.

ElliQ — voice assistant for the elderly

ElliQ is an AI-based social robot designed to alleviate loneliness and improve the quality of life for the elderly. It was developed by Intuition Robotics and launched in series in 2017.

In appearance, ElliQ resembles a desk lamp with a screen, making it a less intimidating and more accessible gadget for the elderly. The robot uses a combination of speech, body language, images, light, and sounds for natural communication with users. Inside is an AI voice assistant with special functions for the elderly.

Unlike most voice assistants, ElliQ does not wait to be called: the robot initiates communication itself, asks questions, and suggests activities. The question-answer function is preserved.

The robot can suggest activities — for example, do a warm-up or listen to an audiobook, check the condition of users, and remind them of important tasks. ElliQ remembers all interactions, and over time, communication becomes more personalized.

Intuition Robotics positions this machine as a "roommate" rather than just a voice assistant. For example, when asked about the weather, ElliQ will not only provide the information but also ask about plans for the day and remind you to take an umbrella if it is raining.

The personalization algorithm is patented by Intuition Robotics, as are more than 30 other developments underlying ElliQ.

Although ElliQ is not a medical device, it can help users monitor their metrics by reminding them to take their medications and encouraging a healthy lifestyle with unobtrusive prompts.

In surveys conducted in 2024, 80% of respondents agreed that they felt less lonely when using ElliQ, and 74% reported an improvement in their quality of life. ElliQ can be rented, with a subscription costing $60 per month. Additionally, a one-time payment of $250 is required upon signing up.

BUDDY

BUDDY is a robot with a cute face-display. It is not just called a social robot or a companion robot, but an emotional robot.

BUDDY is only 60 cm tall, consisting of a trapezoidal body and a head with a display. Its design features smooth curves and large expressive eyes. It can move freely, avoiding obstacles thanks to special navigation sensors and a Time-of-flight camera.

Through facial expressions, voice modulations, and body positions, BUDDY can convey various emotions such as happiness or irritability. For example, it can warmly greet the user or express displeasure if ignored. Sometimes it can be in a bad mood just because it got up on the wrong side of the bed — just like that.

The spectrum of BUDDY's emotions can expand based on interaction with the user. The robot is equipped with various sensors, including a 3D camera and microphones, which allow it to detect and recognize human faces and respond to voice commands.

The creator of BUDDY is the CEO of the French company Blue Frog Robotics, Rodolphe Hasselvander. In addition to alleviating the loneliness of the elderly, Buddy can help with household tasks and interact with smart home devices, making everyday life easier.

The robot costs around $6,000. According to the developers, BUDDY is suitable for both home use and specialized institutions. It can also be used to help raise and educate children or as an alternative to a hostess.

What about Russia?

The domestic market for elderly robotization is still absent. However, innovations in elderly care have not bypassed Russia. For example, the social geriatric center "Opeka" offers a service called "Smart OPEKA".

A special AI algorithm analyzes recordings from video cameras and allows recognizing falls, deteriorating health, an iron left on, or intruders in the apartment.

The operator receives AI-generated "attention lists" and takes actions based on them. Relatives also have access to the cameras and can connect to them online.

Japanese experience

In Japan, the proportion of elderly people is growing faster than anywhere else in the world: by 2035, a third of the country's population will be over 65 years old. If in 2000 there were about 4 working-age adults for every elderly person, by 2050 these two groups will be close to parity.

Also, the country is experiencing a growing shortage of medical staff and caregivers: by next year, the deficit will be 380,000 people.

At the same time, Japan is a leader in the robot manufacturing industry. According to various estimates, between 38% and 46% of the world's robots are produced here. It is not surprising that this crisis is being addressed with the help of machines. By 2035, the volume of government investment in robotics for elderly care will amount to $3.8 billion.

Moreover, there is a prevailing positive attitude towards technology and robots among the Japanese. A 2018 study demonstrated that elderly people would prefer the care of a robot rather than a human: only 14.7% of respondents were against their use.

Respondents agreed that live workers could provide better care, but the overriding factor was the psychological burden of being cared for by another person.

Respondents noted that they would not feel like a burden with robots: 51.3% said that not having to worry about the well-being of the machine is a plus, and 27.2% noted that they feel more restrained around people who care for them.

The nursing home in the Japanese village of Shintomi, Miyazaki Prefecture, is a model of robotic care for the elderly. Here, more than 20 different robotic devices are used.

This home is part of a government program to introduce robots into nursing homes. The government has been providing subsidies of $45 million annually since 2015. Machines have been implemented in more than 5,000 medical institutions.

Panasonic used subsidies to develop Resyone, a folding bed, one half of which turns into a wheelchair. The HAL back support (short for Hybrid Assistive Limb) from Cyberdyne Inc helps staff lift people by distributing the load.

Those who need rehabilitation for walking can rely on the Tree device made by Reif Co. Tree guides where to take the next step and maintains balance.

All these devices are available at Sintomi. Also, the Paro robot seal mentioned above, the AIBO robot dog, the Muscle Suit movement support device, and the social robot Pepper.

Pepper from SoftBank is used in the Sintomi nursing home, as well as in 500 other Japanese nursing homes for games, physical exercises, and simple conversations.

Sintomi residents follow warm-up exercises with Pepper robot. Source

So far, machines have not led to a reduction in working hours for employees or expenses for Shin-tomi. However, according to the center's director, Kimiya Ishikawa, working conditions have improved, and advanced technology helps protect specialists from back injuries and makes work safer.

Why not everyone believes that robots will improve the elderly care industry

Such a positive attitude towards robots in all areas of life, including elderly care, as in Japan, is more the exception than the rule. This is largely due to the techno-futuristic image of the country in the eyes of the Japanese themselves, as well as the abundance of positive representation of robots in anime and culture in general.

But if you move outside the Land of the Rising Sun, such unanimity is not observed. According to Pew Research, 44% of Americans show some enthusiasm for care machines, while 47% are concerned about the consequences of their implementation.

Care workers are often dissatisfied as well. For example, in April 2024, hundreds of nurses in the US protested against the use of AI in hospitals. They argued that AI tools are unsafe and devalue their work.

But most importantly, robots do not yet make life easier for workers in this industry. Alan Turing Institute employee James Wright went to Japan to visually capture the mass introduction of robots in elderly care facilities. He found that today's level of robot development not only cannot fully replace humans but sometimes creates even more work for them.

For example, the Hug lifting robot, widely implemented in Japan, was quickly recognized as inconvenient to use. According to employees, transporting it from room to room is inconvenient and time-consuming. Moreover, not all residents of nursing homes could be comfortably lifted with the device.

Or the companion robot Pepper — a couple of years ago, the media actively wrote about it, placing high hopes on it. The robot entertained nursing home residents, asked them riddles, and maintained simple conversations. It could be used for exercise and singing songs.

However, in practice, the caregiver spent time loading Pepper and rolling it into the center of the room. And to engage the elderly in exercises, employees had to stand next to the robot, repeating its instructions.

Since the set of songs and exercises was relatively small, after a few weeks, they simply got bored and started using Pepper less frequently. The robot has not been produced since 2021.

It is likely that such developments are just beginning to appear, and not everyone immediately manages to create truly effective and convenient devices for everyone. Market research paints a bright future for this market. According to the data of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), the social robots market will grow by an average of 20% per year from 2024 to 2029.

Like any breakthrough innovations, the robotization of elderly care begins with angular and far from perfect solutions, but this is an inevitable stage that any technology goes through. But who knows, perhaps in our old age, a robot will indeed bring us a glass of water, not our relatives.