Recently in Tokyo an AI-driven robot leaned over a man lying on his back and gently put a hand on his knee and another on a shoulder and rolled him onto his side — a manoeuvre used to change diapers or prevent bedsores in the elderly.
The 150-kg (330 lb) artificial intelligence-driven humanoid robot called AIREC is a prototype future “caregiver” for Japan’s rapidly ageing population and chronic shortage of aged-care workers.
“Given our highly advanced ageing society and declining births, we will be needing robots’ support for medical and elderly care, and in our daily lives,” said Shigeki Sugano, the Waseda University professor leading AIREC’s research with government funding.
Japan is the world’s most advanced ageing society with a falling birth rate, dwindling working-age population and restrictive immigration policies.
At one facility in Tokyo, a bug-eyed, doll-sized robot assists a care worker by singing pop songs and leading residents in simple stretching exercises, while human caretakers busily tended to other pressing tasks.
One of the most practical uses of nursing care technologies currently is as sleep sensors placed under residents’ mattresses to monitor their sleeping conditions, cutting back on humans doing the rounds at night.
Although humanoid robots like Tesla’s Optimus are being developed for the nearer future, Sugano said robots that can safely interact physically with humans require next-level precision and intelligence.
“Humanoid robots are being developed the world over. But they rarely come into direct contact with humans. They just do household chores or some tasks on factory floors,” said Sugano, who is also president of the Robotics Society of Japan.
“Once humans enter the picture, issues like safety and how to coordinate a robot’s moves with each individual’s spring up.”
Sugano’s AIREC robot is capable of helping a person sit up or put on socks, cook scrambled eggs, fold laundry and some other useful tasks around the house.
