New elderly care robot could soon provide personal assistance, improving quality of life for older people

Around the world, humans are living longer than ever. According to United Nations data, approximately 13.5% of the world’s population was at least 60 years old in 2020, and by some estimates this figure could rise to almost 22% by 2050.

Advanced age can lead to cognitive and/or physical difficulties, and as more and more older adults potentially need help managing such challenges, technological advances can provide the necessary assistance.

One of the most recent innovations comes from a collaboration between researchers at the Carlos III University of Spain and the manufacturer Robotnik. The team developed the Autonomous Domestic Ambidextrous Manipulator (ADAM), an elderly care robot that can assist people with basic daily functions. The team reports on its work in Frontiers of neurorobotics.

ADAM, an indoor mobile robot that stands upright, has a vision system and two arms with grippers. It can fit homes of different sizes for safe and optimal performance. It respects users’ personal space while helping with household chores and learning from experiences through an imitation learning method.

On a practical level, ADAM can walk through doorways and perform everyday tasks such as sweeping a floor, moving objects and furniture as needed, setting a table, pouring water, preparing a simple meal, and bringing items to a user on request.

In their review of existing developments in this area, the researchers describe several robots that have recently been developed and adapted to help older adults with cognitive tasks (such as memory training and games to help relieve symptoms of dementia) and physical tasks (such as detecting user falls, followed by notification actions; monitoring and assisting users in managing the use of home automation systems; and providing assistance such as recovery of objects on the floor and the storage of objects in areas inaccessible to users of the house).

In this context, the team behind this new work aimed to design a robot with unique functionalities to assist users with physical tasks at home.

Next-level personal care with modular design and learning platform

Several features distinguish ADAM from existing personal care robots. The first is its modular design, which includes a base, cameras, arms and hands providing multiple sensory inputs. Each of these units can work independently or cooperatively at a high or low level. Importantly, this means the robot can support research while meeting users’ personal care needs.

Additionally, the ADAM arms themselves are collaborative, allowing for user operation, and can move based on parameters of the immediate environment. Additionally, as a basic safety element of the robot’s design, it continually considers people in the environment to avoid collisions while providing personal care.

Technical aspects

ADAM is 160 cm tall, approximately the height of a small human adult. Its arms, whose maximum load capacity is 3 kg, extend to a width of 50 cm. The researchers point out that they designed the robot to “simulate the structure of a human torso and arms. Indeed, a human-like structure allows it to work more comfortably in domestic environments, because the rooms, doors and furniture are adapted to humans. “.

ADAM’s base batteries power its movements, cameras and 3D LiDAR sensors. With all systems running, the robot’s minimum battery life is just under four hours, and charging the battery takes just over two hours. It can turn in place and move forward and backward, but not sideways.

ADAM includes two internally connected computers, one for the base and one for the arms, as well as a WiFi module for external communication. An RGBD camera and 2D LiDAR help control basic forward movement, complemented by additional RGBD and LiDAR sensors positioned higher in the unit that widen its perceptual angle and range.

The additional RGBD sensor is a Realsense D435 depth camera that includes an RGB module and infrared stereo vision, while the additional LiDAR sensor provides 3D spatial detail that works with a geometric mapping algorithm to map the entire objects in the ‘environment.

Approximate range of motion of ADAM arms is 360^o, and a parallel gripping system (the “Duck Gripper”) includes his hands. This system contains an independent power supply and a 2W Raspberry Pi Zero board that communicates via WiFi with a corresponding robot operating system (ROS) node. Force-sensing resistors (FSR) on each gripping jaw help hands grasp and pick up objects with appropriate force.

Pass a first test involving collaboration

Researchers report successfully testing ADAM as part of the Heterogeneous Intelligent Multi-Robot Team for Assistance of Elderly People (HIMTAE) project. Working with researchers from Spain’s University of Cartagena and Sweden’s Örebro University, they presented ADAM as an integral part of a team comprising multiple robots and home automation systems.

As part of the test, another robot (“Robwell”) established an “empathetic relationship” with users, who wore bracelets to monitor their mental and physical states and communicate this to Robwell.

Roswell, in turn, would remind users to drink water when needed and communicate with both the home automation system and ADAM regarding specific user needs. ADAM’s role was to perform tasks in the kitchen, preparing and delivering food or water to Robwell, who would then provide it to users.

Users who participated in the test expressed an average value of 93% satisfaction with the result. The researchers note that employing two robots has proven effective; Robwell could monitor and interact with users while ADAM worked in the kitchen. Users could also enter the kitchen and interact with ADAM while it performed tasks, and ADAM could also interact with users while they performed tasks.

What is needed next?

Because the HIMTAE testing results were obtained in a controlled laboratory environment, the team cautions that future testing must take place in authentic home environments to determine user satisfaction with ADAM’s performance.

Looking ahead, the researchers observe: “The perception system is fixed, so in some situations ADAM will not be able to detect specific parts of the environment. ADAM’s bimanipulation capabilities are not fully developed and the arm configuration is not optimized. ” In addition to focusing on improvements in these areas, they write that “new task and movement planning strategies will be implemented to cope with more complex household tasks, making ADAM a robot companion much more comprehensive for the care of the elderly.”

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