Newcastle will soon see robot
shopping companions on its streets. For the first time on a global scale,
“cargo robots” are being trialled. These are designed to help their elderly
purchase products and to encourage them to go out walking more frequently.
This project is a result of a collaboration between The
National Innovation Centre for Ageing at Newcastle University and Piaggio Fast Forward. The latter is the
US subsidiary of the Italian scooter manufacturer. In March, they started
testing three Gita robots in the city centre.
According to Nic Palmarini, the leader of the project, they
have receive fantastic feedbacks from their participants. Speaking at the British
Science Festival in Chelmsford, she advanced that having a robotic
companion to carry shopping promotes a healthier lifestyle since it encourages
people to walk out to shop more frequently.
The trial was conducted in Newcastle and it involved 50
individuals over the age of 70. The participants said that they “love the way
the robots become a talking point while they are out shopping”. As such, these
machines also help to increase their social interactions which is beneficial
for their mental health.
To learn more about how the Gita robots work, keep reading the
articles posted on this blog.
Photo credit: Clker-Free-Vector-Images
from Pixabay
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