SINGAPORE: Researchers in Singapore have developed an empathetic, robotic polar bear to serve as a companion for the elderly

Record ID: 401843

  • Title: SINGAPORE: Researchers in Singapore have developed an empathetic, robotic polar bear to serve as a companion for the elderly
  • Date: 9th October 2012
  • Summary: SINGAPORE (SEPTEMBER 27, 2012) (REUTERS) ELDERLY GATHERED AROUND ROBOT BEAR WOMAN STROKING ROBOT BEAR / ROBOT BEAR REACTING MAN SMILING VARIOUS OF ELDERLY STROKING ROBOT BEAR INSTITUTE FOR INFOCOMM RESEARCH SCIENTIST TAN YEOW KEE INTERACTING WITH ROBOT BEAR IN HIS LABORATORY ROBOT BEAR PURRING ROBOT BEAR NEXT TO LAPTOP SHOWING IMAGE FROM WEBCAM WEBCAM INDICATING WH
  • Embargoed: 24th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Singapore
  • Country: Singapore
  • Topics: Health,Quirky,Technology
  • Reuters ID: LVA1H5JPQIJPMSA3ES50F1KDTJPM
  • Story Text: The residents at Singapore's Villa Francis Home for the Aged, are smiling more than usual these days. They have a new companion, a polar bear who responds as a pet dog or cat might, reading their emotions and reacting accordingly.
    The bear is a robot, equipped with a webcam on its forehead through which it can read smiles, frowns and crying. It is programmed to react to the visual cues in the same way as a real pet. It also reacts to caresses and smacks by either purring or squealing.
    The robot was designed and built by research scientist Tan Yeow Kee at the Institute for Infocomm Research. He has dedicated his career to building robots for integration into society. He says he decided to focus on help for the elderly because of Singapore's ageing population, many of whom have no children and spend their twilight years in homes for the elderly and hospitals.
    "Institutes like hospitals might not allow pets to be inside there, and some of the people who have asthma or are allergic to pets, they're unable to interact with the real pet. So what we're trying to do is, we do have an idea of placing antibacterial fur for the robot, so it won't shed any fur, bacteria can be contained in a certain way, so that solves most of the issues the real domestic pet will face," he said.
    Instead of using touch technology, Tan said that microphones placed under the bear's fur cover were better at distinguishing a harsh pinch from a soft squeeze, allowing the robot react appropriately.
    Villa Francis physiotherapist Janaki Priya says the bear will be a boon to the residents, many of whom have alzheimer's.
    "They really need a companion who can just be with them, listen to them, and just give a few expressions here and there, they really don't need to be so interactive, because some of them, because of their impairments, they may not be able to understand, even as humans, what we are trying to tell them. But, I think, they see something very physical, which is very cuddly, they think it is very small, handy, I think they can accept it better than us, because they think it is more like a pet to them," she said.
    Resident, Joan Hoffner, loves the robot bear.
    "And he's cuddly, he's intelligent, when you stroke him, talk to him, he answers, when he wants to. I wouldn't mind having one like this for myself," she said.
    Tan said he started work on the robot six months ago with a budget of $2000 Singapore dollars ($1630 USD).
    He says he plans to make the robot wireless and is now in talks with philanthropists and hospitals to expand production.
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