An array of humanoid robots showcased practical and efficient solutions for elderly care, designed to address the specific needs of China's senior population at the World Robot Conference (WRC) 2024, which ran from Aug. 21 to 25 in Beijing.
An impressive selection of 27 different types of humanoid robots were displayed at the conference, a record high among all previous sessions, attracting a great deal of attention from conference attendees.
Among them, a humanoid robot named Wanda can be operated remotely with a VR headset to grab objects and even perform housework via remote control, including preparing food, doing laundry and folding clothes.
According to the robot's exhibitor, these capabilities are highly relevant to China's growing elderly population in less densely populated areas, where residents may not have easy access to large care facilities.
"In rural areas, the environment is more complex. Maybe the children of the elderly people are working in other cities. We have already developed robots capable of tasks like laundry, burger making, and folding clothes. By integrating these capabilities, our robot Wanda is increasingly proficient in assisting with household chores," said Min Shihui, an exhibitor with Chinese humanoid-maker UniX AI.
Another life-like humanoid robot from a Shanghai-based company can chat, remind patients to take medicine, and aid with remote health monitoring.
The company's exhibitors even showcased the direct connection of the robot with the human brain using a brain-computer interface.
The research team hopes that in the future, robots can provide emotional value and spiritual companionship to elderly people living alone.
"We mainly focus on the elderly, providing care and health management services in their daily lives. This includes conducting screenings for Alzheimer's disease and assisting with simple tasks and interactions at home, such as fetching medicines and essential daily items," said Zhang Yongpan, general manager of Robosys, a Shanghai-based intelligent robot research and development company.
The WRC 2024 has brought together hundreds of industry professionals and highlighted a number of cutting-edge developments in the fast-evolving robotics industry. According to the organizer, 169 global companies, including ABB, Tesla, Kuka and SMC, are presenting their 600-plus exhibits throughout the five-day event.
Humanoid robots provide practical elderly care solutions at World Robot Conference 2024
