Intuition Robotics has invented an artificial intelligence-driven robot companion to keep the elderly engaged with the world.
As reported in Israel21C:
Elli•Q is the brainchild of Intuition Robotics, a Ramat Gan startup pioneering social companion technologies. The robot’s mission is to be an “active aging companion,” keeping older adults engaged by helping them access and connect to today’s technologies, including video chats, online games, social media and other ways to stay in touch.
“We set out to create this company to have a positive social impact,” Dor Skuler, CEO and founder of Intuition Robotics, tells ISRAEL21c. “While we don’t expect a robot or technology to be people’s friends or solve the problem of loneliness, we do think that technology can overcome barriers and bring people together in a way that’s not happening today.”
Using “natural communication” such as body language, speech interface, sounds, lights and images to express herself, Elli•Q is designed to be emotive, autonomous and easily understood. She uses machine learning to acquire knowledge of the preferences, behavior and personality of her owner, and proactively recommends activities based on that history and recommendations by family.
At the moment, Elli•Q is only a prototype. Skuler says the robot will enter early trials in San Francisco and Israel in February.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, over 15% of the Australian population is aged 65 or over and and a quarter of older people live alone in a private dwelling.
Israel Trade and Economic Commission in Sydney, Australia 