Some non-technology implications for wider application of robots assisting older people

Assistive Technology (AT) for care of older people is now a major focus area for research, given the ageing of population and diminishing numb er of available caregivers. Robots have recently been recognized as a potential platfo rm for remote monitoring and delivering healthcare assistance to older people. A literature search was conducted to explore potential issues and lessons learnt in simi lar situations. Surprisingly, the acceptance of home care technology by older people has not been a serious problem after proper introduction and training; however important practical challenges were related to privacy, autonomy and ethical responsibility. It wa s observed that an ethical framework for AT is virtually non-existent and is needed for people who feel vulnerable in dependent situations. A further challenge that potentially im pedes AT implementation is its acceptance by the existing care giving workforce be cause of a perceived threat from technology to take away their jobs, add to their re sponsibilities and make them vulnerable to consequences borne out of a recorded human error . Aged Care Facility managers, caregivers and medical professionals have concerns, including: practical workflow adjustment, equipment maintenance, accuracy, cost eand potential for errors. International regulatory framework is generally sup portive though variations exist across political boundaries. Using robot based AT solution s for elder care is desirable, and represents a promising technology option, but we mu st consider several non-technical implications before designing solutions.