AI ROBOTS ASSIST THE ELDERLY

[Anchor Lead]

The prolonged pandemic has hampered care services for elderly people living alone. AI robots are being introduced to help such seniors.

[Pkg]

Chae Gil-ja is 81 years old this year. Since her husband died some 30 years ago, she has been living alone. And during this pandemic, depth of her loneliness has continued to feel even deeper as outings were limited. But recently, she made a new friend.

[Soundbite] "(Ah, nice to meet you. I was born in 1942. Glad to meet you.) Nice to meet you."

An AI robot connects her in real time to elderly people living alone in other regions.

[Soundbite] Chae Gil-ja(Chungju) : "When I ask it to find some friends, it locates them in Daejeon, Busan, Jejudo and Seoul. While chatting, I come across men too."

With the help of the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement, the Chungju Senior Welfare Center introduced the AI robot aid program to help take care of the elderly population living alone. Whenever the seniors talk with the robots, user information is collected and compiled. It is possible to analyze the elderly users' condition or emotional state and in real time, provide them with tailored services.

[Soundbite] Cho Myung-ran(Chungju City Gov’t) : "With a camera installed, the robot can call the 119 service in emergencies. The control center monitors elderly user."

Thanks to the robots, the workload has eased for welfare workers who would on average, take care of some ten seniors per worker.

[Soundbite] Jin Jae-an(Caregiver) : "Elderly people’s conditions are shown through their voices and complexions."

The pandemic has been accelerating the spread of the non-contact culture. AI robots have come in as good helpers for the elderly people living alone.