assistant robots

The paper analyzes older people’s expectations and perceptions about welfare technology and in particular about assistant robots in elderly care. Assistant robots may extend autonomy in old age and provide support for caregivers. In this study attitudes of older people, caregivers and care managers were collected through focus group discussions, by exploring seven categories that need to be addressed to improve orientation towards assistant robot technology in care. Therefore, an adequate dissemination of information may enhance people’s acceptance and reduces fear toward technology in care.

Between the manual workplace and highly automated production systems there are niches, in which the degree of automation can be increased by new concepts. The concept of assistant robots can explore these potentials together with the worker: increasing productivity and flexibility regarding lot sizes and product variants. Simples systems are being used today, for example in trajectory controlled handling of heavy workpieces. Systems with a high degree of interaction between man and machine are in the need of further research and development. Nowadays, challenges are in the area of safety, but also in the man machine interface. Apart from these technical questions the area of application has to be broadened to guarantee an economic use of assistant systems. In spite of these problems evaluations show that lots of manufacturers and users of automation systems see great potentials in this line of development.