Face It, You’re Not Getting Any Younger

Many regions around the globe are presently facing challenges resulting from the combination of an aging population and declining birth rates. According to the United Nations, 13.5 percent of the world’s population was 60 or older in 2020, and that is predicted to reach 22 percent by 2050. While there are many different opinions on how best to deal with this emerging situation, it is clear that the social dynamics of societies are evolving as a result of these demographic changes and we will have to learn to adapt quickly.

With smaller family sizes and fewer young people, there may be shifts in intergenerational relationships and support networks. Traditional caregiving responsibilities may become more challenging to fulfill, leading to increased demand for formal caregiving services and community support programs. Without a better way of handling these concerns, healthcare systems and social welfare systems may be stretched to their breaking points.

A number of potential solutions involving the use of robots have been proposed. These robotic solutions encompass a wide range of functionalities, from assisting with activities of daily living to providing emotional support and companionship. For instance, robotic caregivers can be programmed to help with tasks such as medication reminders, meal preparation, and mobility assistance, enabling older adults to maintain their independence and quality of life. Additionally, robots equipped with sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms can monitor the health status of elderly individuals, detecting any anomalies and alerting caregivers or medical professionals as needed.

A significant challenge exists in developing these systems, however. A caregiver must be able to assist with a wide array of tasks, from getting dressed to cooking and cleaning. Present robotic assistants tend to be very specialized, lacking the flexibility needed to fill this role. A team at the Universidad Carlos III in collaboration with engineers at Robotnik have developed a versatile robot called ADAM that could become the sort of jack-of-all-trades that is needed. ADAM was designed from the ground up, with modularity and adaptability in mind, for use in service applications.

Standing over five feet tall, ADAM consists of four modules: a perception system, a mobile base, a dual-arm system, and robotic grippers. The perception system includes an RGB depth camera and a 2D LiDAR sensor to capture relevant information about the environment. The dual arms and grippers are positioned on opposing sides of the robot’s body, much like a human’s arms and hands. This design allows the robot to operate in normal indoor environments and perform tasks typically done by humans. The mobile base contains wheels and motors that allow ADAM to navigate through its surroundings.

Control of the robot is provided for by a pair of computers — one handles operation of the base, while another focuses on arm control. These computers enable ADAM to operate autonomously, and with the onboard batteries the system can run for between approximately four and nine hours, depending on which modules are enabled. Recharge times are just over two hours.

As a personal assistant robot, care was taken to ensure that ADAM is aware of nearby people, both to avoid collisions and also to allow for collaborative interactions. Given the versatility of the system, the researchers envision these interactions involving cooking, cleaning, fetching items, and more.

A series of trials were conducted to determine how well ADAM can interact with real users. The robot seems to be a hit, with 93 percent of users reporting that they were satisfied with its performance. However, these trials were all conducted under carefully controlled conditions, so they probably will not translate very well to real-world results, at least not yet. The team is currently continuing their work to improve ADAM, which could make it a viable option for elderly care in the near future.