The Alias Robot monitors and assists elderly people

The health and fitness gadget market is rapidly expanding, but there are plenty of interesting tech innovations specially developed for the elderly that are often overlooked in favour of fancier gizmos. 

There are a number of specialist trade shows dedicated to geriatric health care across the globe (we saw some interesting demonstrations at CES earlier in the year), but the most recent fair in Hanover, Germany has revealed some very interesting new gadgets and tech advances, like crazy space-like suits and a ‘gentle’ outdoor exercise wheel. But, we were most impressed with The Adaptable Ambient Living Assistant (but let’s call him Alias for short).

The Alias robot has been specially developed to interact with elderly users on a daily basis, monitoring how they’re doing, helping them communicate with the outside world with a really simple interface and then even providing them with assistance in some simple activities. What a clever little guy.

However, it’s not just about keeping a tab on your blood pressure or picking up that spoon, the robot is meant to provide comfort and support to those living on their own or in a nursing home too:

“The function of ALIAS is to keep the user linked to the wide society and in this way to improve her/his quality of life by combating loneliness and increasing cognitively stimulating activities.”

One of the main problems faced with the Alias is ensuring the elderly age group accept that the robot is there to help and isn’t some crazy alien straight out of a sci-fi film. The team behind the device hope to include end users throughout the development process to ensure that everything will be as comfortable and suitable for them as possible in the end, which is a clever tactic.

The Alias robot is still in development, but aims to be a really comprehensive solution for elderly people in the next few years.

[Image via Press Association]

By Becca Caddy.