Hundreds of older residents of New York will receive robots as digital companions that will help them fight loneliness and boost their health, by reminding them to take their medicines, help them contact their loved ones, book a trip ride an Uber and even engage in small talk and pranks.
The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) will deliver the kits to the homes of 800 older adults as a way to combat the growing problem of loneliness, officials from that department announced.
NYSOFA is partnering with @intuitionrobo and @AgingNY to bring smart technology into the homes of 800 older adults. https://t.co/ysXeagmLKN pic.twitter.com/ZxMKBNsH7T
— NYSOFA (@NYSAGING) May 25, 2022
Greg Olsen, director of NYSOFA, detailed The Verge that the state will deliver robots called “ElliQ”, manufactured by the Israeli technology firm “Intuition Robotics”.
ElliQ is described as a “more proactive version of Siri or Alexa”. “Many features attracted us. It is a proactive tool, it remembers the interactions with the individual, it focuses on health and well-being, stress reduction, sleep, hydration, etc”, explained Olsen.
“Focuses on what is important to people: memories, validation of life, interactions with friends and family, and promotes good health and well-being”
Greg Olsen, director of the Office for the New York State Aging (NYSOFA)
And added that “It it focuses on what is important to people: memories, validation of life, interactions with friends and family, and promotes good health and well-being in general.”
ElliQ is a machine of two parts that is attached to a base. A section consists of a “face” that is similar in shape to a lamp; Equipped with a microphone and speakers, it lights up and turns to face the people it interacts with. The other part is a touchscreen tablet that is capable of making video calls and displaying images and information.
In New York, the state budget for the fiscal year 2023 recently enacted includes $2.9 million in funding for NYSOFA’s pioneering initiatives to combat social isolation and offer new or expanded options in service delivery for older people at multiple levels.
“Intuition Robotics” touts ElliQ as a “friendly presence in your daily life” that is capable of “engaging you in conversation, motivating you to adopt healthier habits, surprise him with jokes and suggestions“.
The state governments of New York, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Florida and other jurisdictions have already experimented with similar pilots, such as providing robotic pets to nursing home residents elderly and those living in retirement communities.
Just one month before a global pandemic was declared in 2020, a report from the Academies Nationals showed that a third of American adults over the age of 45 years felt lonely. Surveys have surprisingly found higher rates in younger adults, recalled New York Post. Since then the Figures have skyrocketed, due to isolation and working from home.
For more information about this robotic program or other alternatives for people older, visit www.agingny.org or call (518) 449-
.
Elderly New Yorkers to get robots to help relieve loneliness https://t. co/e8wkyzeZDY pic.twitter.com/bNVquTz4g6— New York Post (@nypost) May , 2022
