Camarse, Juzl Marie M

BSHM 2.2 A
ElliQ ROBOT
"Everything Amazon does with Alexa is generally meant to serve a huge number of people; it is meant to serve a very
large audience in a very safe way," said Ronen Suffer, chief product officer of Intuition. (The Washington Post is owned by
Jeff Bezos, the creator of Amazon.) "We take a more daring action because a much clearer audience with clearer needs."
Anyone can now own ElliQ, a robot created to serve as a companion for elderly people. Israeli business
Intuition Robotics has been working on the bot for years, but the first iteration, released in March, was only partially
functional. New discussion prompts, among other updated features, are included in the new ElliQ 2.0. Virtual experiences
as well as a family and caregiver app. Robotic chaperones have aided the elderly in overcoming social isolation and
loneliness that have been worsened by the pandemic. ElliQ, on the other hand, takes the initiative where most bots require
prodding; the voice-activated AI-powered "personal sidekick" starts conversations and encourages the development of
positive social, physical, and mental habits in its human friend. Additionally, it records conversations, makes note of
medical issues, and can contact family members and medical professionals in an emergency. Even a little chat is made.
Designed for stay-at-home adults 65 years and up, ElliQ is a lightweight, stationary device that only needs a power plug
and Wi-Fi. A one-time enrollment fee covers shipping, setup, and installation support.
Co-founder and CEO of Intuition Robotics, a business that is revolutionizing how people and robots interact,
is Dor Skuler. ElliQ is the first ever initiative-taking and sympathetic care companion. It was created after more than five
years of creative research, beta testing with older persons, and collaboration with industrial designer Yves Béhar and his
company, fuse project. ElliQ is an advanced cognitive AI system that combines psychology, behavioral sciences, and
psychology to empower older adults to live active, engaged, and connected lives at home while reducing the negative
effects of loneliness and social isolation to support their social determinants of health. With ElliQ, seniors may stay in
touch with their loved ones, caretakers, and the outside world. This statement follows a successful "care program" that the
corporation executed over the earlier few months. Thousands of senior citizens applied to use ElliQ; hundreds were
selected, and the statistics revealed record-breaking engagement levels. Older folks engage with ElliQ on average twenty
times per day for a total of twenty minutes each day, using it to support their health and well-being and to spend time with
them as a companion. This is made possible by ElliQ's exceptional ability to convey empathy and foster user trust. ElliQ
becomes more of a presence that goes with seniors through acknowledgment, initiative-taking participation, and
referencing prior conversations as opposed to being just another device in the house. ElliQ, which was created especially
for elderly people living alone, has proven its effectiveness in reducing feelings of loneliness and social isolation. The
ElliQ program includes a series of wellness coach sessions that help senior citizens in defining their goals. Then, ElliQ
encourages individuals proactively to take charge of their physical, mental, and social wellbeing. In a recent pilot study, it
was discovered that ElliQ significantly increased the completion of activities that promote physical activity, stress relief,
and better sleep.
ElliQ is made up of a digital display and a moving, talk-reacting "bobblehead" that lights up. According to Intuition
Robotics, the bot will help fight the "loneliness epidemic," or the rising number of elderly people living alone, that is
affecting several countries. According to the business, ElliQ can serve as a tool for taking initiative to combat loneliness
by interacting with consumers in a variety of ways. The bot can make video calls to family and friends, play simple
games, or play audiobooks, as well as remind individuals to take their medication and exercise every day. According to a
press representative for Intuition Robotics, version 1.0 of ElliQ sold out of its "limited inventory" in just a "few months."
The ElliQ, from Intuition Robotics, a startup specializing in social companionship technology, was created by
Yves Behar's company fuse project and has the appearance of a sleek, future gadget. The focal point of the piece is a stack
of two all-white bulbs. To give ElliQ individuality, the top one moves and illuminates. The secondary part is a tablet that
ElliQ can use to display more information and initiate video conversations. ElliQ can play music or podcasts, just like the
Echo. You do not need to read or touch anything to manage it, just your voice. Beyond the Echo, ElliQ will let you know
of any messages you have received and help you in using social media. In the first video, ElliQ alerts the gregarious
granny when a young relative posts a picture message and offers to display the image. The grandmother then commands
ElliQ to respond. I like the concept of audible push alerts, which the Echo lacks and would be extremely helpful to aid an
elderly person with technology. ElliQ can also alert you to upcoming appointments, remind you to take your medication,
and prod you to go for a walk. ElliQ is said to notice behavior over time and adapt.
Intuition Robotics will begin testing ElliQ in the bay area next month and will have a showcase of its work up
and running at the Design Museum in London starting today. I will need to see it to believe it reacts to voice instructions
as easily as it does in the company's video because it does not function with Google Assistant, Apple's Siri, or Amazon's
Alexa. At CES, there were plenty of imitations of the Amazon Echo. Another similar product to Amazon's always-
listening speaker is called ElliQ, although ElliQ is made exclusively for the elderly.
A 2010 AARP survey found that between the ages of 62 and 91, half of older persons in the United States feel
occasional or frequent loneliness daily. According to the same AARP poll, 45 percent of people sixty-five and older were
either divorced, widowed, or separated. 16.9% of those over fifty reported feeling lonely, and 8.8% of those people said it
was a persistent problem. Older persons who live alone are more likely to suffer from illness and pass away than those
who are socially connected, which results in an added $6.7 billion in government health spending each year in the U.S. In
Canada, it has been noticed that loneliness among older people has significant societal costs since isolated and lonely
older people are less active. They are more likely to use social services and health care (including long-term care and
emergency departments) for various help, such as volunteering. Particularly, loneliness and social isolation can raise one's
risk of buying depression, dementia, and even death. There is a lot of evidence that loneliness and social isolation in older
adults can harm their wellbeing and cognitive health, but there is less proof that older adults using technology might help
them feel less lonely and isolated. Reviews of recent literature have been assessed. Various research has looked at
technological solutions for elderly people who are socially isolated. These evaluations proved. Particularly, technology
has the potential to increase interpersonal contacts, reduce loneliness, and have positive effects on a user's general mental
health. Examples of promising technologies in this regard include companion robots, Care TV, and home computers7.
However, further research is needed to supply more precise assessments of the effects of various technological
interventions aimed at reducing older individuals' social isolation and loneliness. The use of robotic technology
interventions in older individuals has not been the subject of a lot of studies. Several distinct kinds of robots have recently
entered the market with the intention of supplying social support. One kind of system, known as conversational agents,
can offer companionship through social interactions, allowing older adults to connect with family and friends and offering
"talk therapy" for older adults, potentially enhancing their emotional well-being and aiding them in living independently.
These technologies do not require prior experience from consumers because they are made to be user-friendly. devices.
Another example of a cutting-edge robotic technology focused on minimizing is a gadget called ElliQ. Older people's
social isolation and loneliness. It varies from other social/companion robots available on the market in that it actively
offers suggestions (such reminding the user to stay hydrated) as well as proposing and starting different activities for the
user. It also employs artificial intelligence to generate tailored and interactive experiences for the user. offering consumer
activities like a game to play. This study examines how the use of ElliQ, a cutting-edge, initiative-taking, social robot
(using artificial intelligence), at home affects older individuals' degrees of social isolation and loneliness considering the
prospective effects of such technology.
This included New York State's acquisition of eight hundred units as part of a test social welfare scheme. The
company stated in a press release that version 2.0 of the bot "is manufactured at a significantly larger scale" and "offers a
superior user experience" The experiences include a "virtual cafe," which shows users images from 18 different cities
accompanied by local ambient sounds; a "art exhibition," which is a slideshow of famous paintings accompanied by local
music; and more. ElliQ can also start discussions with consumers through voiceovers that describe the artworks and a
virtual road trip that "puts our customers behind the wheel of a virtual van as they accompany ElliQ to places like the
Grand Canyon or The Smithsonian Museum in DC." The new questions include inquire about the respondent's early years
("Talk about a teacher whose legacy you carry with you"); their involvement in significant historical moments ("What
were you doing during the Moon landing?"); and other intimate details ("tell us about your First Crush). These
discussions, according to Intuition Robotics, are recorded and can be eventually made into a digital "memoir" for family
members or close friends. The software, which was once in beta, enables users to make video calls, voice conversations,
or text messages to ElliQ robots. Intuition Robotics is also launching a new companion app for "family members, friends,
or caregivers." Additionally, they may collect information on how often consumers interact with their ElliQ bots and
virtually create reminders.
There are differing opinions on the employment of robotics in geriatric care. Machines, according to
proponents, provide a practical answer for care and company in nations with aging populations. For instance, the
government actively promotes similar programs in Japan, where those over seventy-five make up more than 15% of the
population. However, detractors claim that the rising usage of robots may alienate senior citizens. There are "concerns that
social care quality may diminish with the use of robots because robots are unable to satisfy the social or emotional needs
of older care recipients and may increase loneliness and isolation among this group," according to a report on the topic
commissioned by the UK government in 2018. According to a recent impact study by the firm, which claimed expected
that its robots dramatically reduced user loneliness and enhanced mental alertness, Intuition Robotics claims it continues
to assess responses to its products. The business claims that while ElliQ 1.0 was launched with an emphasis on sales to
institutions, ElliQ 2.0 will hopefully be bought and used by private individuals and families. ElliQ is a social robot that
starts interactions with the user thanks to Intuition Robotics' exclusive cognitive computing technology. The system
initiates and personalizes these interactions. based on autonomous decision-making algorithms and contextual knowledge.
Using these algorithms, the system also learns about the user's surroundings and aims, tailoring later recommendations
and interactions to the user's behavioral patterns and personality characteristics.

Reference:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ProvidedDocs/87/NCT03972787/Prot_SAP_000.pdf
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/16/lonely-elderly-companion-ai-device/
https://www.intuitionrobotics.com/
https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/7/23497980/elliq-companion-robot-2-0-elderly-care-features-conversation-
prompts
https://www.therobotreport.com/elliq-companion-robot-aging-adults-hits-market/