Can helper robots change our care system? Solution from a fantasy blockbuster

Can helper robots change our care system? It’s a radical decision that could have come straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster.

  • The fully autonomous android Aeo can self-screen residents of nursing homes.
  • At the same time, the human staff can monitor its progress remotely through the app.
  • Aeolus Robotics has stated that its droid has been used in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

This radical decision could have been taken straight from a sci-fi blockbuster.

But the robot can be brought to Britain nursing home this year to help solve the personnel crisis.

Fully autonomous Aeo android can make rounds on his own, checking residents and bringing them medicines.

In the meantime, staff can monitor his progress remotely via an app with a live video feed showing his progress in real time.

Robots could be delivered to UK nursing homes this year to help solve staffing crisis

Robots could be delivered to UK nursing homes this year to help solve staffing crisis

Aeolus Robotics said its droid is already being used with great success in Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, where it is used by some of the largest healthcare providers in those countries. The firm told the Daily Mail it plans to enter the UK in 2023 and is in talks with distributors and partners.

This week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company introduced an android that is also used in Japan as a security guard in schools and offices. A shortage of staff was recently found to be a key issue in three-quarters of nursing homes that were downgraded to “inadequate” by the regulator this summer.

This is already a key member of the team

A wave of checks showed that the problem affected thousands of vulnerable residents, some of whom remained in their rooms 24 hours a day.

However, Eo, who resembles the robot Eve from the 2008 Pixar animated film Wall-E, can take on the work of humans. On-board cameras and built-in infrared sensors allow it to autonomously navigate corridors at just over 2 miles per hour.

In the meantime, staff can monitor his progress remotely via the app, with a live video feed showing his progress in real time.

In the meantime, staff can monitor his progress remotely via the app, with a live video feed showing his progress in real time.

Meanwhile, its two mechanical arms can be equipped with a variety of tools, including pincers for operating lifts, opening doors or closing windows, and picking things up from shelves up to 7 feet high.

You can also attach a tray to deliver food or medicine, or equip it with a UV lamp to sanitize doorknobs and other surfaces.

Eo is strong enough to lift a gallon of milk, yet soft enough to hold a phone without dropping or crushing it. It is also equipped with sophisticated artificial intelligence that can alert nurses if patients’ posture changes, signaling a possible fall.

The head of one of Japan’s largest healthcare providers, Senior Life Central, spoke about how the robot improves patient care. General Manager Kayo Kojima said: “The robot is already one of our peers and a key member of our team. Simple tasks are required, which frees up our staff to have more time to interact with patients and staff.”

And Alexander Huang of Aeolus Robotics said: “Our goal is to create robots that will improve the quality of life and enhance the positive impact of robots on society.”

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