Seniors in New York State will be given companion robots to combat loneliness

The problem of social isolation and loneliness among seniors in the United States is now acute, the source said. About 14 million Americans over the age of 65 live alone.

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The number of single people is expected to increase in the next 10 years. Studies show that loneliness is just as bad for human health as smoking.

The devices are called ElliQ.
They won’t be able to help with any physical task like cleaning the house, going to the pharmacy or the store, but they will help with health and medication tracking, and if a person gets bored – they’ll keep them entertained by chatting.
NYSOFA Director Greg Olsen states that ElliQ, created by Israeli firm Intuition Robotics, can help overcome many problems.

ElliQ attracted us with its many features – it is a proactive tool. It focuses on what is important to people: memories, communication with friends and family, and promotes health. The robot remembers the important moments of the user’s life and adapts to his character. For example, if the user tends to laugh a lot, ElliQ will be more of a joke.
said Olsen.

ElliQ robot
ElliQ Robot / Photo Intuition Robotics

ElliQ consists of two parts attached to a single base.
The first is a lamp-like “face” with a microphone and speaker.
It is highlighted and given back to those it spoke to.
The second is a touchscreen tablet used to view images, additional information, and make video calls.

The device is intentional It was designed to look more robotic than humanoid. Intuition Robotics claims that ElliQ can show empathy and build relationships with users.

ElliQ has been developed for many years. Intuition Robotics runs dozens of home tests to improve its functionality. But the real test will be wide distribution.

NYSOFA administrators will identify the beneficiaries of ElliQ based on various criteria.

ElliQ is designed for people aged 75 and over with Wi-Fi access, using technical equipment safely, isolated or alone. Once people have been identified as the target group, Intuition Robotics will work on setup and training,
– He quotes Greg Olsen’s words to The Verge.

NYSOFA purchased approximately 800 ElliQ units from Intuition Robotics for an unknown price. The usual cost of renting a robot is $250 and maintenance is $30.

The exact start date of the experiment is still unknown.

Source: 24 Tv

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