More not elder law: Danger Danger Aliens Approaching

November 8, 2006

Hundreds of South Koreanscientists are working to develop robot caregivers, which could tacklethe chores and monitor the health of elderly people, a report said onTuesday.

Theproject is due for completion in 2013, Kim Mun-Sang, a researcher atthe Korea Institute of Science and Technology, was quoted by the KoreaTimes as saying.

Whenthe project is completed, a senior citizen could instruct a robotequipped with voice recognition software to order food from a nearbyrestaurant for dinner.

“Then,the smart robot will take out the dishes and lay the table with thedelivered food. Cleaning up the table and washing the dishes will alsobe up to the mechanical servant,” Kim was quoted as saying.

The scientist depicted the robot as both a loyal secretary and friend.

Final versions of the humanoid would remind the elderly of daily schedules, including when to take their medicine.

Anothercrucial role, Kim was quoted as saying, “is to provide ways out ofloneliness typical for the elderly. For one, they will connect thosesenior citizens who are web-illiterate through networks.”