At last: a robot for company, comfort and assistance at the dusk of life

Claes Britton | Nov 28, 2007 | 0 comments

Ah, I freaking love it! Now they have taken yet another great step for humanity out there in Japan, that Promised Land of all nerds (and also one of my own very favorite countries, whichever conclusions may be drawn from this coincidence). Already in my book Turn of the Century in Stockholm, I wrote about robotized cuddly animals developed by Panasonic for the purpose of offering some company, soothing and tenderness to Japan’s rapidly expanding elderly population (presently over 30,000 over the age of 100 — and rising fast...) before it’s time for that final encounter with that ol’ Grim Reaper. Well now, tecnology has made the next conquest, as media reported today, when a Japanese science and industry consortium has presented the first prototype of Twendy-One, a 111-kilo ”humanoid” (I freaking love it!!!) robot in bright white composite material, with clear blue eyes, warm red elbow joints and baby soft hands, capable of helping the elderly in and out of bed, serving them tomato soup and taking care of their dishes — as well as upholding a rudimentary conversation. Whether Twendy-One also possesses the comptence to aid the olden folkes with their intimate hygiene is not clear at this point, but surely this must be just another technological detail soon to be sorted. How’s that for a future perspective, eh? Old age — here I come!

PS. Do yoy want to see the devil in action? DS.

At last: a robot for company, comfort and assistance at the dusk of life

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