As part of a futurist session today, at the Partners Connected Health Symposium, Tandy Tower from Microsoft Robotics, proposed an idea that assistive care robots could become common place in many homes within the next 3-5 years. These robots would be developed in response the ageing demographics that are evident across the world and to address the shortage of caregivers available to meet the needs of this section of the population.

These robotic nurses or home care assistants, would be able to help with medication reminders, allow medical peripherals to be connected, support video consultations with a clinician and deliver social interaction opportunities with other people in a network. Another idea proposed was that these robots could help with coaching and rehabilitation therapy for patients who have suffered a stroke.

Tower believes that this technology could be available for less than $5000 but I don’t believe that cost will be the main barrier to deployment and adoption. A bigger challenge, in my opinion, will be the acceptance of a robotic humanoid moving around your home and constantly checking up on your actions. Would you have a robonurse in your home?