Communications of the ACM
Can Robots Save Nursing Homes?
Robots programmed at the University of Minnesota Duluth will go to 8 nursing homes in the state. The robots can socialize with residents, tell jokes, and lead yoga classes.
Credit: Jenn Ackerman/The New York Times
As more nursing home and assisted living facility staff leave the profession, some facilities are turning to robots to fill in the gaps.
A $2-million contribution from the Minnesota Department of Human Services could enable 16 robots programmed by University of Minnesota Duluth’s Arshia Khan to be deployed to eight nursing homes later this year, if approved by the university's institutional review board.
NAO robots will lead residents in yoga, tai chi, and strength-training classes, while Pepper robots will socialize with and entertain residents.
Concerns about nursing homes' use of robots include a decline in human-to-human contact, whether families should have access to monitoring data, and how robots are presented in terms of gender and ethnicity.
From The New York Times
View Full Article - May Require Paid Subscription
Abstracts Copyright © 2022 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA
No entries found