[Senior Trend] AI and Robots Enrich the Lives of the Elderly

These days, mega-scale AI (artificial intelligence) seminars are being held everywhere. There is intense debate about how far technological advancement can go and what the positive and negative effects might be. There is no doubt that more technological progress will be made in the future. What kind of experiences will this bring us? When technology advances rapidly, seniors have experienced digital divides and social exclusion. The sudden shift to a contactless society due to COVID-19 clearly exposed these gaps and difficulties. Will this continue?

Last week, I observed a demonstration of Naver’s Clova Care Call service. It is an AI companion phone service for elderly people living alone. The service is provided to over 8,000 people through about 30 local governments nationwide, with a satisfaction rate of over 90% and a re-call intention rate of over 95%. Personally, I dislike call center services replaced by AI. There are many inconveniences compared to speaking directly with a human counselor. So, I couldn’t understand how seniors could like chatbot services. At first, they also disliked talking with a trained machine, but there was a secret. It was “remembering.” The conversations from the first call are saved, so the AI remembers each grandmother’s or grandfather’s previous health status and situation. When the next call starts, the AI asks personalized questions related to that information, and the seniors feel that the AI is “someone who listens to me,” which makes the conversation possible. Some seniors said it was better than their children who are too busy to call often or remember details. Due to time, manpower, and spatial constraints, care services for single-person households had limitations. This kind of chatbot seemed like it could help people who frequently suffer from depression.

The direction of technology related to seniors appears in various terms. First, “Aging Tech” refers to the development of technologies and services tailored to the needs of seniors in an aging society. It mainly provides technologies and services to solve problems seniors face in daily life, such as health, medical care, and living. “Smart Aging” focuses on improving the “quality of life” within Aging Tech. For example, it involves technologies that allow seniors to easily use health management, convenience, and medical services through smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and so on. There is also “Gerontechnology,” a compound of “Gerontology” and “Technology,” which aims to improve the quality of life and sustainable living for the elderly. It is also called technology for well-aging. It focuses on researching and developing technologies that help seniors maintain independent living and continue social participation in various areas related to daily life, such as housing, work, leisure, health, and mobility, even as they age.

Last year, the International Society for Gerontechnology (ISG) conference was held in Korea. It was held simultaneously with the Daegu Senior Expo. Under the theme “100-Year Life in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” it highlighted the potential of AI to improve the quality of life for people at different stages of aging. It was an opportunity to explore what AI technologies exist for seniors and global trends. The suggestion that technology for the senior generation should be designed not only for “functionality” but also considering “emotional” and “affective” aspects, and that convergence across multiple fields is necessary, was impressive. Also, the global trends and various cases of aging-related technologies were interesting. These were examples utilizing core technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution such as IoT (Internet of Things), mobile, AI, and robots.

The most surprising was the American company “Rendever,” which uses the metaverse. Through VR reminiscence therapy, seniors could visit places from their youth. They could travel anywhere. Technology once thought to be only for gaming is now eliminating isolation for people with physical mobility restrictions and reducing medication use caused by depression. There was also the Japanese care robot “FARO,” developed in the shape of an animal doll, which allows stroking and eye contact. It has been recognized for therapeutic effects such as communication and improved walking ability for mild dementia patients and autistic children, and received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The French-developed “Smart Walking Stick” contains motion sensors and accelerometers that not only help walking by datafying walking habits but also detect abnormal signs in movement different from usual.

In this way, new technologies such as AI and robots are practically enriching seniors’ lives. Due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, digital transformation has become essential in the lives of the elderly, and technology has become closer to them. Recently, the Icheon Senior Welfare Center attracted attention as the first in the nation to open an ICT Sarangbang (community room). In a space composed of four sections, users can receive education on using IT devices such as kiosks and tablets, play touchscreen games for dementia prevention, and experience interactive robots. Other welfare centers in different regions are promoting companion robot projects, and some are building smart care systems using IoT technology. Motion recognition games using virtual reality technology and VR experience spaces are also in full swing. Although a Korean company, Curaco was first recognized in Japan. It developed a care bidet that automatically detects urination and defecation and performs washing, bidet, and drying. KT Telecop launched Angel Care, a home IoT system sensor-linked analysis service. It operates an integrated control center to prepare for emergencies involving seniors.

Such new technologies and services help seniors live healthier and more comfortable lives. Technologies like conversational interfaces, health management, and medical services not only extend our lifespan but also improve our “quality of life.” Through technological advancement, new paths are being presented for seniors’ lives.

Lee Boram, CEO of Third Age