NY State is Giving Out Hundreds of Robots as Companions For the Elderly (theverge.com) 52
The state of New York will distribute robot companions to the homes of more than 800 older adults. From a report: The robots are not able to help with physical tasks, but function as more proactive versions of digital assistants like Siri or Alexa -- engaging users in small talk, helping contact love ones, and keeping track of health goals like exercise and medication. The scheme is being organized by the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA), and is intended to help address the growing problem of social isolation among the elderly. An estimated 14 million Americans over the age of 65 currently live alone, and this figure is projected to increase over the next decade as the boomer generation ages. Studies have suggested that long-term loneliness is as damaging to an individual's health as smoking.
People are having trouble eating... (Score:3, Interesting)
and the government is giving out robots?
Our fuel prices are through the roof - but hey, grandma gets a robot. Education prices are stupid and kids who want a college education might be in debt for the next 20+ years, but at the end of their servitude, hey... free robot! People are rampaging and crime is sky-high after 2 years of being cooped up like animals, but if we survive each other to reach old age... there's a free robot at the end of the tunnel.
Seriously, WTF is wrong with people? How does this seem like a good use of money? How about opening a new bingo club or something for these people to get real human interaction, instead of sending them robots? "Hey, here's a semi-autonomous constant reminder that no one cares enough about you in your old age to give you real human interaction!"
Brilliant. Just brilliant.
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root causes - abortion and no fault divorce.
Both of these things offer the false promise of 'freedom' and 'opportunity' but for the vast majority of people what will be delivered is dotage spent alone, with not only none to care for you but none who care about it.
Stop listening to the serpent.
Re:People are having trouble eating... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:People are having trouble eating... (Score:4, Interesting)
It's pretty easy to find studies showing that some elderly people respond very well to interaction even with a software agent. It won't be a fit for everyone, but I'd bet that the more they decline, the more willing they'll be to converse with a machine.
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I don't trust computers. So many bugs and issues! Why would I trust robots?
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They are an alternative to pets. Older people often enjoy having pets, but the pets need looking after too. Walking a dog or cleaning out a cat's litter tray can be difficult for the elderly. A robot that needs very little maintenance, and which can provide other useful services like detecting a fall or reminding them to take medication isn't a bad idea.
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I'll sign on for your theory as soon as you figure out how to dole out exactly 2.2 capable and responsible offspring to each and every couple.
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From the looks of my fellow Americans, they don't appear to have much trouble eating.
https://worldpopulationreview.... [worldpopul...review.com]
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They may eat plenty (and yes, most of them do), but that doesn't mean it's affordable. Some may be skipping on clothes to buy crap food. Some kids may be obese because they're eating carb-laden free school breakfasts and lunches, but when they get home at night there's little to no food on the table because [single parent] had to pay rent that month, or the electric bill, or put $6/gallon gas in [his/her/its/zir/zems/thems] car to get to a job.
There are lots of intermingled issues at play, and not all of
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Of course you're right. But the reason for those problems (food
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You're not wrong... the question is, how do we get the low-income weaned off the teat of the governmental sow, and putting in the effort to improve their lot in life? This can be done - I've seen it a few times. But as far as government involvement, I think it probably includes things like:
1) Less direct payments to people, and more subsidy of things like child care to enable people to hold jobs. Possibly including construction of child care centers, as many areas of the country simply don't have enough
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Except I don't think the problem is shortages. I haven't checked for a few years, but the last time I checked it was distribution. And there were some indirect indications that the government (or actually, people working for the government) didn't really want to improve the distribution in poorer areas. Certainly when I checked (about a decade ago now) food prices were higher for the same merchandise in poorer areas. Lots of reasons, some of which were believable. But not unaddressable, just "it's easi
How will my data be protected, I mean used! (Score:1)
Who will have access to the data collected by these devices on the elderly? And how will it be protected for leaking or misuse?
How will it stop or reduce fraud and scamming done to the elderly?
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The manufacturer, Intuition Robotics, advertises it as a health care device. If that's actually true, they're bound by HIPAA in the US (and similar laws elsewhere).
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That applies to individuals, but hoovering up anonymized
data for marketing purposes is extremely profitable, and
perfectly legal. That's where Facebook makes most of its
money.
Huge Improvement (Score:5, Insightful)
over the Russian bots that keep them entertained and informed on social media.
Will the elderly welcome their robotic overlords? (Score:2)
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no, you only get an owl, an expensive owl.
Can't Wait (Score:3)
I can't wait until Mom calls and asks me to deal with her free robot that doesn't work right. Mom lives alone, no doubt she'll trip over it, break her hip, and be stuck on the floor for a couple of days before anyone notices.
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How about cats (Score:2)
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You're not fooling anyone, we all know what cats' endgame is.
But robots eat old people's medicine for fuel! (Score:2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
Loneliness (Score:4, Insightful)
Not all who wander are lost. Not all who are alone are lonely.
Contrary to popular opinion, there are people who don't want or need to be around others that much. They don't need to be part of any group or have a cadre of "friends" to hang out with. They are comfortable by themselves.
Loneliness is when you long to be with others and are unable to do so. That is not the same as not wanting to be around people.
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Agreed that being around people does not always solve feeling alone. Being a stranger in a crowd is one example.
The question becomes, can we make people think they're cared about by an artificial entity. I don't see it as impossible, if they don't look too carefully.
But that's not the only type of companionship, or social interaction we desire. Wonder if better introspection could help? Meaning help people recognize when a specific need is not being met by purposefully not meeting it for a bit. Let the
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Maybe that's why they specified loneliness rather than being alone?
If you had read the fact check linked in the article this would have been obvious.
This is Slashdot though, so I bet a goodly number of the moderators just plain identified with your description.
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Robot? (Score:3)
PR says [prnewswire.com] that these guys' product is "a cognitive AI platform [...]* which is proactive, context aware and multi-modal".
AFAICT the only robotic thing about ElliQ is where it's pointing its lamp-head. This device is basically Siri for people with cognitive impairment. It can "look" at the screen in order to direct the user there, and it can and will hassle you even if you don't ask it to in order to increase engagement. But from the manufacturer's standpoint, ElliQ is first and foremost a marketplace, and means of directing economic activity to a centralized payment system. The features page [elliq.com] says "With you ElliQ purchase," [sic] "you'll receive waived service fees for 3 orders" and also "With your ElliQ purchase, you'll receive 4 complimentary wellness coach session" [sic again] "(valued at $200)."
My conclusion is that ElliQ is even less of a "robot" than the Nintendo R.O.B. [wikipedia.org], which at least has to manage doing as it's told on its own. It's really not a robot at all; it's a peripheral controlled by a remotely hosted marketplace that wants a cut of everything it can con superannuated and possibly mentally impaired seniors into thinking they need in their life with its persistent interruptions. In theory a device and service similar to this could be a massive boon, but in practice this US/Israel-produced, NSA/Unit 8200 warrantless surveillance wet dream is a typically dystopian nightmare.
If I may wander down fanboy road for a moment and invoke Neal Stephenson's Diamond Age and the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer [blogspot.com] , this is essentially the same thing but intended for the other end of the human lifespan. And like the Primer, which had one purpose in the hands of its intended recipients and another in the hands of others, its purpose is as cynical as those who control it — and that is not the user.
* Slight liberty there but I think it's justified
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It's really not a robot at all; it's a peripheral controlled by a remotely hosted marketplace
Damn. And here I was thinking my great-uncle Frank was going to do crimes [imdb.com] with his new robo-pal.
Obligatory IT Crowd Reference (Score:2)
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"Have you tried turning it off and back on again!?"
"YES! I just won fifty quid."
Obligatory Douglas Adams (Score:2)
"Your Plastic Pal Who's Fun To Be With."
Isn't a "robot" something with a body that moves? (Score:3)
Am I alone in thinking the title feels wrong? I get they're probably trying to differentiate it from "Machine Learning", "Virtual..." whatever, and "AI". But for me, physical actions by an artificial entity in a human like manner are what make a robot.
Apparently Google agrees. The first definition includes "...a machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically."
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A modern solution to today's problems (Score:2)
How considerate, how touching.
How profitable.
Finally!!!! (Score:2)
Re: Finally!!!! (Score:2)
By the time I am old enough for my "free robot", I expect people in general to be so deranged and unpredictable that I just might want the robot over human interaction.
Re: Finally!!!! (Score:2)
Here's a related note: You can't go to a store anymore without encountering toys that give the message "see kids, playing with poop is fun!"
So yeah, the future will be more fucked up than now.
I know what I want (Score:2)
Well, I'm not elderly yet, but I could definitely go for a robot in my old age. I'd like an RX-78-2 Gundam, please. In fact, is there any way I could get it sooner?
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I could definitely go for a robot in my old age. I'd like an RX-78-2 Gundam, please. In fact, is there any way I could get it sooner?
Dude, there's no way Robot Security will even still be a thing by the time you're ready to retire. And if you take it this early, then you are going to have to settle for a Robie Jr.
A glowy butt? (Score:2)
Non-Obligatory Movie Reference (Score:2)
Sounds like (Score:2)
"Robot and Frank" [imdb.com]
Now we'll have all kinds of elderly people stealing stuff.
At least it could have been a Roomba.... (Score:2)
I mean, that would help the elderly keep a place clean without struggling to deal with a vacuum cleaner.
This sounds like a bastardized version of an Amazon Echo Dot that's set up to speak occasionally without prompting it first, just to ask you inane questions like, "How are you feeling today?"
already invented 5 years ago (Score:3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
I can see the future (Score:1)
Idiots (Score:2)
Someone's brother-in-law is making a killing.
People get attached (Score:2)
To What End (Score:1)