- Title: JAPAN: Research firm unveils nursing robot that can lift up bed-ridden elderly
- Date: 31st August 2009
- Summary: NAGOYA, JAPAN (AUGUST 27, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ROBOT LIFTING UP WOMAN SITTING ON WHEELCHAIR VARIOUS OF ROBOT PUTTING DOWN WOMAN ON BED (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) TOSHIHARU MUKAI, LEADER OF THE RESEARCH TEAM FOR NURSING ROBOT, SAYING "Japan has entered into an ageing society, and the demand for care-giving to the elderly, such as lifting them up from a bed or wheelch
- Embargoed: 15th September 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Health,Science / Technology
- Reuters ID: LVA9T1LOFD94R58MQKCXDMKXFRSL
- Story Text: Japanese research firm unveils a nursing robot that can lift up and carry bed-ridden elderly or disabled with a pair of arms.
Japanese research firm unveiled on Thursday (August 27) a robot that could lift up and carry bed-ridden elderly or disabled in hopes they could enhance the mobility of those immobile and reduce the labour of the care-givers.
The nursing robot, dubbed Robot for Interactive Body Assistance, or RI-BA, can lift up a person up to 61 kilograms from a bed or wheelchair using its long and cushioned arms.
RI-BA is developed by a Nagoya-based research firm, RIKEN, which is among a clutch of Japanese companies and institutions trying to develop humanoid robots, bidding on the increasing demand for robotics in the ageing Japanese society.
"Japan has entered into an ageing society, and the demand for care-giving to the elderly, such as lifting them up from a bed or wheelchair, is increasing. By relying such tasks on robots, we can reduce the human labour of the care-givers," said Toshiharu Mukai, the leader of the research team which has been devising "nursing robots" for years.
RI-BA is designed to operate semi-automatic in order to reduce the risk of accidents dealing with elderly and disabled.
Using "tactile sensors" embedded in its arms and chest, the robot can be controlled by care-givers by simply being touched on its skin to adjust motion and direction. The sensor also detect the weight of the person on its arms and calculate how the weight should be distributed.
"Because the safety and timing for lifting up can be better judged by human, the robot is controlled by a person, or a care-giver, who stands beside it and directs its movement," said Mukai.
RI-BA is upgraded from its previous version of nursing robot, RI-MAN, which could only lift up to 35 kilograms and thus used a human-sized doll -- instead of human -- for its demonstration three years ago.
Keiko Oshima, who volunteered to become a living dummy for this time, is actually the one who came up with the odd face of the robot. She said being friendly as well as practical was what she thought the key for RI-BA to become a grandma's favourite.
"I designed it this way because a cute face can give peace of mind to the people being lifted up," said Oshima.
Japan eyes over a quarter of its citizens to be aged over 65 by 2015. And by 2020, about 14 percent of the population of greater Tokyo -- around 4.9 million people of a predicted population of 35 million -- will be aged 75 or older - making this city one of the world's greyest metropolises.
Researchers said they had no plan yet to market their new invention, but they hoped it could assist the well-being of the nation's growing elderly population in near future. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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