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United States
New robot has the potential to assist the elderly
Mis en ligne le 22/08/2006
Professor Ralph Hollis of Carnegie Mellon University has created a robot that could assist the elderly. In countries with aging populations, this type of invention could spark high demand. The robot can move in any direction without turning, since it pivots on a ball.
Researchers say that a new robot named Ballbot could provide care and companionship to the disabled and elderly population. Ballbot is five feet tall, aluminium-framed, with a slightly swaying body and a whirring motor. It was designed by Professor Ralph Hollis of Carnegie Mellon University. This type of invention aims to fill an increasing demand for health care workers in countries whose elderly population is proportionally increasing, especially Japan and Korea. It is a significant breakthrough in the field of "human-centred robotics". According to Professor Louis Whitcomb of Johns Hopkins University, it is much easier to construct machines that compute than to make ones that can interact physically in the way that assistants do. However, Ballbot's novelty compared to previous inventions of this kind is it can move in any direction without turning, since it pivots on a ball. This means it can operate in the small spaces where users often live. Researchers are currently working to improve the robot. They plan to add arms and possibly a vision system. (The New York Times, 08/16/06 : "Balancing Robot Care for Elderly")
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