Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Imagine your life in 60 years. You oversleep and are awakened by a walking, talking robot checking to make sure you are all right.
Within five years, this could be a reality for the increasing elderly population of the world.
Jim Juola, a professor of cognitive psychology, is part of an international team designing a robot that would provide in-home care for the elderly. He is the only person from the United States to be working on the project, which is funded by the European Comission. The project is called K-SERA — Knowledgable Service Robots for the Aging.
“The goal is to have a personal care assistant that provides contact with other humans easily,” Juola said. “It provides reminders of things like appointments, medications and exercises.”
The population of people age 65 and older is increasing rapidly, and more than half of people 85 or older suffer from signs of dementia, said Juola. In the United States, 13 percent of the population is over 65, according to the 2010 U.S. census. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that number will increase to 19.7 percent in 2030.
“I never realized just how many elderly people there were or that needed care,” said Elizabeth Olson, a senior from Wichita. “Our generation really doesn’t realize how much care they will need.”
Olson worked for a year at Life Care Center of Andover as a nurse providing care for the elderly.
“You do literally everything for them, from feeding to bathing,” Olsen said. “It’s literally like taking care of a five-year-old.”
The robot, which is named “Nao” and manufactured by Aldebaran Robotics in France, tracks the humans movements. If the human looks at it, it will return the gaze. If the person’s gaze is focused elsewhere, Nao will look to where he or she is looking.
The robot is only two and a half feet tall, and is capable of speaking multiple languages.
Olson, however, explains that caring for the elderly requires more than just behavioral and medical attention.
“One of the biggest roles of a nurse is emotional care,” said Olson. “You need to let them know you do care, because a lot of times the elderly feel very lonely.”
Juola said the robot can offer some aspect of companionship to patients.
“The robot should provide news, films and TV clips, which are projected from within it onto any surface,” Juola said. “It also can evaluate the patients mental and emotional state, through behavior and conversation, and suggest activities.”
Many patients who require assisted living have lost their spouses or are no longer in contact with other family members.
Olson remembers one of her patients who would wait by the door during family visitation hours expecting someone to come. She had no friends or family left.
“At that point in their life, they may have no visitors,” Olson said. “They may have lost spouses or other family members. You have to provide them someone to talk to and someone to turn to.”
Juola said the robot would give caregivers peace of mind.
“Long-term care can be exhausting, because of worry or a lack of freedom,” Juola said. “Children and caregivers of the elderly could at the very least go on with their lives knowing that contact with outside help would be instantaneous.”
A camera inside the robot will recognize if a patient requires assistance and will call for help if needed. Patients will be able to program emergency contact information in to the robot.
Within a year, the robot will be put into nursing homes and hospitals for testing.
The robot costs $25,000. But a year in a nursing home, Juola explains, costs around $50,000, making the robot a social and economic solution to a growing problem. Eventually, the robot will be used in-home to offset the costs of other methods of assisted living.
“Those are the kind of people who you really have to step in and be their family,” said Olson. “The robot would have to be able to provide that for them and be the next best thing.”
— Edited by David Cawthon
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Comments
Professor helps develop robot to help the elderly
Most people would prefer to be "helped" by robots instead of the frightening ignorant and aggressive strangers who approach and terrorize strangers on a profiling basis in reactionary, backwoods places like Lawrence. It's the same thing. I'd prefer a real robot--not just a human taught to behave like one.
Professor helps develop robot to help the elderly
Would you like to find out more about NAO and our work at Aldebaran Robotics?
Are you a journalist interested in the subject of robotics in healthcare or education?
Please get in touch and we'd be glad to tell our story - contact@aldebaran-robotics.com
You can also see NAO on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpE4pL...
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