New research shows that most of the UK public do not yet recognise the potential for robots to improve their quality of life or that of their ageing relatives.
An on-line survey of 2,023 people aged 16-75 for the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) shows that, despite an ageing population and pressure on social care budgets, only a third of them would consider using a robot to assist an elderly or disabled relative.
IET president William Webb said: “Robots have been steadily gaining in capability over the last decade; and as technology becomes much smarter, robotics is set to become a bigger part of our future. Robots have the
potential to play a crucial role in improving the lives of people — particularly the elderly and those with disabilities — right across the world.
“However, we need to make people aware of the huge benefits that robotics can provide, while addressing their concerns about loss of personal contact and a natural reluctance to embrace new technologies so that we can make smarter use of this technology to help people to manage their health conditions and stay independent for longer.”
Healthcare is a particularly important area of robotics research, not least because the converging challenges of an ageing population and increasing demands on health budgets mean that providers will require new ways to deliver care cost-effectively.
Solutions range from automated trolleys or wheelchairs through to health-monitoring systems, automated surgical equipment and humanoid ‘nurse robots’.