As robots begin entering senior living, here are a few recent advances to watch.

CES 2022, the annual consumer electronics show presented by the Consumer Technology Association, presented three that may be of interest to organizations that care for older adults. They come from CRN’s favorites, outlined in “10 Cutting-Edge Robots For Health Care And Home.”

The WHILL Autonomous Model is a wheeled device designed to carry a single seated rider in assisted living facilities as well as in venues like hospitals, airports, and museums. It includes a customer interface tablet to help the rider navigate, as well as an operation portal that lets staff see where the devices are located. It also includes stereo camera sensors and a collision avoidance feature, a push handle, and carry-on baggage storage.

The Labrador Retriever carries loads of up to 25 pounds. It enables users to set up “bus stops” within their homes where the robot would need to do tasks frequently. Navigation takes place with downward-facing and forward-looking 3D sensors and a dual layer of obstacle sensors on all four sides. In addition to depth sensors, it has cliff sensors to avoid stairs and load sensors to detect carrying weight. It can raise or lower to fetch items on Labrador trays, on command or on a schedule. The company is working on a small refrigerator that integrates with the robots’ capabilities so that the Labrador can serve cold beverages.

The Whiz GAMBIT is an autonomous cleaning robot that offers bio-decontamination with a capacity best suited for home use. Avalon SteriTech and SoftBank Robotics partnered to develop the WHIZ. It offers vacuum cleaning and disinfection, with a dry-mist spray technology and adjustable nozzles. Artificial intelligence capabilities help it navigate its routes, and it sends real-time alerts of its progress. The robot can cover 5,400 square feet on a single charge, decreasing airborne microorganisms by 80% and eliminating 99.9% of the microbial burden, according to the company’s website.

LeadingAge CAST Resources

Tech Time is tracking robot pilots to help you discover innovations for your organization. See these articles to learn more: “The Future of Robots and Older Adults,” “Food Services Group Pilots Robot,” “LeadingAge Member Hires Robot,” “Servi Robot Improves Mealtime at CCRC,” and “Amazon Offers New Innovations for Senior Care.”