AI chatbots are increasingly used for companionship, but South Korea’s municipal government has provided elderly residents who live alone with a drive doll that keeps them company and monitors their health.
The doll was developed by South Korean startup Hiodol to remind residents to take medication and eat, and notify family members if an emergency is detected by the sensor.
For busy caregivers, those who can’t be with every client all day, dolls are the first line of defense, monitoring their mental state and sending reports to caregivers about patients in need. The rise of companion robots is when care costs increase and many elderly people suffer from loneliness. Robots can help alleviate these two problems, although they also raise concerns that inhuman relationships can actually lead to individuals becoming more isolated and prefer interactions with AI rather than humans.