Robots could improve caring system

The government has invested £34 million to move the country closer to developing robots capable of providing support for Britons and making caring responsibilities easier.

With one in seven people in the UK now expected to be over 75 years old by 2040, it is widely believed that ’care robots’ could help provide the UK’s dedicated adult social care sector with more assistance for those who need it most.

The new research programme is entirely dedicated to making autonomous systems safe and trustworthy for public use with investment that could help develop robots to one day fulfil tasks such as helping an elderly person up after a fall and raising the alarm, delivering food to an older person at mealtimes, and even ensuring they take crucial medication at the correct time.

The programme will undertake research into the design of the necessary autonomous systems, such as ensuring robots are better protected against cyber attacks and that they demonstrate principles like respect, fairness and equality enabling them to eventually be used in environments like care homes and hospitals. It will provide developers, policy makers and regulators with access to world leading experts, as well as the to the latest information and guidelines around this technology. In the healthcare sector, resulting applications, such as care robots, could work in tandem with professionals to assist and complement their work, and help relieve pressures.

Science Minister Chris Skidmore said: “A staggering one in seven people in the UK are now expected to be over 75 years old by 2040. As our society ages, most of us will have to care for a loved one, whether it’s a grandparent or a parent or a partner. It’s vital that we meet the needs of this ageing society, and through cutting edge research like this we will ensure that as technology advances, the UK leads the way in designing and adopting it, growing our status as a global science superpower.”