In a coming day, seeing robots caring for the elderly may be common place. As rapid advances and increases in technology continue to accelerate, bridging gaps between what humans and robots can do continues to narrow. Today, we already see robot vacuum cleaners and robots are already heavily utilised in the manufacturing industry to process goods.
With an increasingly aging population where the elderly are starting to live longer, robot carers could be the answer to offset the increasing demand in elderly carers. Robot carers would allow families to spend more time together, whilst also maintaining the elderly’s ability to remain independent longer.
If robot carers are to be successfully implemented, engineers would need to surpass current robotic challenges. Major difficulties in inbuilt navigation systems are already widely prevalent. Further work on artificial intelligence, software development and programming will need to be conducted to correct these changes if there is any chance of success. Additionally, real world environments always pose an extra challenge. The consistency that these robots will be able to perform in, needs to be refined and perfected.
Many interested parties currently exploring robot carers, have made interesting aesthetic design considerations. Discussion regarding whether these robots should look human like makes for interesting conversation. Regardless, the current position of robotic technology leaves manufacturers with a wide variety of materials to utilise.
As with any manufactured product, the mechanics behind this project will need to ensure these robots are cost effective. Ultimately, these robots should augment rather than replace human care, as a form of assistive technology – just how tools help a builder.
Kevin has been contributing to multiple news websites since 2015. He started his blog back in 2016 tackling technology and business tips. His passion towards journalism and sharing relevant information with global readers pushed his to take journalism major at Boston University. He is now a full-time contributor to Kev’s Best.