Are robot companions good for the elderly? - BBC News

Voice-operated care robots are being marketed at older people who spend most of their time alone at home.

However, there are also concerns that technology pretending to be older people’s friends actually makes things worse.

CEO and co-founder of Intuition Robotics Dor Skuler said: “As humans we have a lot of social needs, we have a need for companionship, we have a need for social interaction and we felt that technology has reached a point where an artificially-enabled robot can do that.”

Retiree Beryl Voss explains why she uses care companion robot ElliQ at home and how it works.

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[Soldmysoulforablurayplayer]

90? Wow she is in great shape for 90. Most people in their 60s 70s and 80s are a lot les mobile or coherent. What is her secret?

[stankssmile]

Let's take a moment to acknowledge we are all headed towards old age as true as life's story for the lucky, hope our plans to make it stable works out and hope our treatment towards all ages of life is respected, old age generally is filled with neglect

[eleonore]

That woman looks unbelievably good as for her 90s

[IBTU]

BBC who harass elderly for paying TV license 😂😂😂

[michaelngfinance]

I don't want to interact with a robo-lamp. Lol

[carolewynn]

No, people need human interaction, touch, speech etc.

[Hornet_Legion]

the sad thing is that this robot cares more about its owner than the average person. or in fact in many cases moreso than family or and i mean care. because a robot doesnt care, it is a machine. yet even though it doesnt care the zero concern it has for its owner is more than the owners family cares for them.

[dimamatat]

We need robot companions for the young too.

[davidgray]

How about we have more children, bring them up well and teach them to treat their elders with respect and look after them.

[ferndawg]

This lady looks, moves and sounds fantastic at 90. The robots are coming and nothing will stop it.

[cdean]

She's doing well for a 90 year old. Nice apartment too.

[sevena.channel]

This is just sad. Nothing more to say really.

[Mganwillslay]

I am a good companion as long as we are having a conversation...

[Dottyeyes]

I had to "rewind" this video when I saw Beryl. Did the narrator really say she's 90? Beryl, you must have a great combination of good genes; a happy, curious intellect; and the desire to stay physically active and involved with life. All those qualities, combined with the awesome experience of having lived ninety years, make you an amazing person!

[tophat]

Looks like a nightmare. It's called artificial, for a reason.

[McLKeith]

Anything that helps alleviate loneliness is worth trying.

Ellen Langer a professor emeritus from Harvard found that caring for plants was enough interaction for nursing home patients to enable them to live five years longer than those that did not.

[weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars]

I'm 49 and disabled. I find the disembodied voice of my lifeline/Telecare system to be incredibly disturbing. You can suddenly get a voice out of nowhere and its the unit. These robots need Way more accessiblity and a much better approach than shown here. I find technology quite isolating and confusing and I'm supposed to be young enough to be fine with it. It's curious too that this is designed to help people stay in contact with family and friends, yet at 49 I have no living family. Sorting isolation and support is for All ages as is understanding of technology which is very often creepy. Nice idea, long way off before really suitable 😕

[ShoshanaS]

I have cats and rabbit as beloved companions but have lived alone all my life and have no family. I consider myself a very well rounded, comfortable introvert, just probably far more independent and solitary than most in society. Social interaction with the few human kindred spirits in my life is pleasant, but regular "human-ing " drains me in a way I can't describe to someone who has never experienced it. For hard wired introverts like me, the advancements in robotics and AI is exciting and represents the potential for new types of interactions and relationships. So these technologies are perhaps too different for some, but where you may see threats, I see opportunities and benefits. When I was a little girl I dreamed of having a robot companion. Now the world is starting to catch up to that dream.

[sleepingbeauty]

The blinking light is horrible, should be able to dim the light and not blink

[briansmith]

Definitely not!
Dog or cat, a big improvement on a pre programmed piece of plastic and tin!