The Artificially Intelligent Caregiving Robot
The race is officially ON for the best AI Robot Caregiver.. but don’t place your bets on any one solution, at least not yet. I am ecstatic to report caregiving Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the hottest topic at the recent Aging2.0 2017 Optimize conference. Finally, big tech is shifting its AI powers towards aging and helping familial caregivers! Can you imagine outsourcing your caregiving load to an intelligent and empathetic robot?
Let this video help you imagine this beautiful AI impacted life of an aging elder & familial caregiver.
Now count how many times you saw the familial caregiver during that video. Not a lot right? Yup lovely ain’t it. You rarely saw her because she was busy living her life while AI took care of her Dad!
Before you run out to buy your first caregiving social robot there are a few things you need to know:
THE GOOD
There is a shift in tech right now. With the help of organizations like Aging 2.0, aging technology is rapidly building momentum. The focus is no longer just in childcare solutions. Innovators are eagerly seeking to create technology solutions for familial caregivers. Now we are seeing the coming of elder care & help me age in place tech solutions like Jibo, the first social robot for the home.
AI is learning how to caregive, key emphasis on the word “LEARNING”!
Every caregiving scenario/situation is different and has different needs. For example, some care recipients might be okay with a perched robot while others might prefer a robot like Zenbo (the smart little companion) who moves all around the home.
Also, caregiving tasks require more than just AI learning. It requires EQ, Emotional Intelligence, learning. AI has become quite advanced, but EQ still has a long way to go.
The Not so Good
Price points are high, and options are limited. This is totally normal. Give this stuff some time, and the prices will drop. Innovators understand that the ideal aging tech solutions not only need to work, but they have to be cost conscious if you want caregivers/care recipients to use the product.
OnGuardian, the Amazon Alexa powered caregiving assistant is a less costly option ...... although you still have to purchase an Alexa. OnGuardian is not the first and won’t be the last innovator to build its solution on the Alexa framework. Alexa is accessible, and innovators recognize the powerhouse of Amazon and the grand connector/aggregate of all things tech it is.
The Possibility
What a time to be alive. Get excited my fellow caregivers. Tech help is on the way! Companies are recognizing and trying to fix our caregiving pain points, and they include caregivers input in the solutions. Do not fear a robot run world.
The brilliant Chief Scientist of JIBO, Cynthia Breazeal, still firmly believes “In a world of machines, humanity is the killer app.” - Brian Solis. Milo is a caregiving solution that blends technology with in-person, at-home attention to care for older adults.
More Solutions To Come
Caregiving & brain health is the Aging2.0 2018 focus topic areas so get ready for even bigger and better solutions to come courtesy of that think tank.
Final Verdict
Don’t Buy yet ! Give these bots some time to get better. As more competition enters the market prices will drop and capabilities will increase. You don’t want to be stuck with a super expensive first iteration caregiving bot.
Caregiving robot isn't the only solutions for outsourcing some of your caregiving responsibilities. Reach out to us here, and we can help you find the best caregiving tech solution on the market to fit your needs.
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