14.12.2011
Silbot and Mero, moving robots constructed in Korea, are being tested as possible companions for elderly people and for people suffering from memory problems in Finland. The robots have been programmed with 16 different programs, such as games, music and songs.
The aim of the test is to map out if modern technology is able to be harnessed to the use of the ever growing elderly care sector. The number of people in need of additional care is increasing yearly yet the number of people able to care for them is not growing in the same ratio, generating a need for extra pair of “hands”.
Finnish company Evondos is developing robotic medicine dispensers for the future. According to studies, a fifth of nurses’ time is spent in drug maintenance. There are similar projects on development in Finland as the Finnish population’s average age rises quicker than in the rest of Europe.
The industry is expected to grow explosively in upcoming years as the aging of citizens is not merely Finland’s issue; it covers the whole of the EU area. (Source: Salon Seudun Sanomat, 4.12.2011)