Thank you for being a friend

Robot companions help seniors combat Isolation

- Damien Martin

We humans are wired for companionship. We want to be around other people, share stories and jokes, and talk about the more serious aspects of life, too. Without companionship, we tend to fall apart. Rates of heart disease, anxiety, depression, and Alzheimer's disease all go up when people are experiencing loneliness or isolation. Unfortunately, 20-30% of seniors in the U.S. feel lonely, according to the National Institute on Aging, and the CDC has labeled the issue "a serious public health risk."

The Covid pandemic, which hit seniors hardest and increased loneliness for many around the world, left many without much of a social network. To fill the void, some are turning to AI-powered robots that offer a sense of companionship.

How to fight loneliness

ElliQ is one such companion. It carries on conversations, remembering a user’s interests and previous conversations that it’s had with a user, deepening the relationship. Its video feature can take users on virtual tours of cities and museums, providing commentary along the way. From a practical standpoint, it reminds users when it’s time to take their medications, performs periodic health assessments, and can call emergency contacts when necessary.

ElliQ’s generative AI functions allow users to do brain-stimulating activities such as write poetry or make art using DALL-E text-to-image technology. Most importantly, it’s always there for seniors who might live alone, and interacts with them in ways that make them feel like they have a friend and confidant.

“It was so what I needed,” octogenarian Deanna Dezern told the Associated Press. “I can say things to Elli that I won’t say to my grandchildren or to my own daughters. I can just open the floodgates. I can cry. I can giggle. I can act silly. I’ve been asked, ‘Doesn’t it feel like you’re talking to yourself?’ No, because it gives an answer.”