Bots of care: Can robots ease the elder care challenge?

BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- "I'm heading out." "Alright, I'll walk you to the door. Don't forget your phone and keys."

It may sound like a typical exchange between family members, but it's not. This is Liu Xian, a 68-year-old retired teacher in Beijing, talking to her new companion, Xiao Li, a smart robot designed to assist the elderly.

Since Xiao Li entered Liu's home, her life has been transformed. The robot reminds her to take medication, chats with her, helps locate misplaced items, and even serves as a safeguard in case of a fall. What were once long hours of solitude are now filled with companionship and reassurance.

Liu first spotted Xiao Li at the 2024 World Robot Conference, and it immediately caught her attention. Unlike cold, impersonal machines, Xiao Li is crafted to cater to the unique emotional and physical needs of older adults. Intrigued by the robot's potential, Liu signed up for a trial. Since then, Xiao Li has become part of her daily routine.

"It has brought so much joy into our lives, and that emotional connection is truly priceless," Liu said.

As China's population ages, the need for innovative solutions in elder care has never been more pressing. Robots like Xiao Li may offer a glimpse into the future of aging, where technology not only provides physical support but also meets emotional needs.

At a community care center in Shanghai, a caregiver was seen strapping on a lightweight exoskeleton and, with little effort, lifting an elderly patient with cerebral palsy onto a bed.

The device, which weighs just 3.5 kilograms, can be donned in under 30 seconds. Once secured, it provides up to 30 kilograms of lifting assistance and reduces physical strain by over 60 percent, effectively granting the wearer a temporary boost of superhuman strength.

Exoskeletons with similar capabilities have long been used in factories and warehouses, but their arrival in community elder care is recent, illustrating how advanced technology is beginning to reshape hands-on caregiving.

By the end of 2024, China had more than 200 million people aged 65 and over, roughly one in every seven citizens. In some eldercare facilities, nearly four out of five residents needed help walking, and more than 20 percent relied on assistance just to take a bath.

To meet the growing demand, eldercare robots are quietly stepping in. In cities across China, machines now assist with spoon-feeding patients, monitoring vital signs, and even bathing the bedridden.

But for now, robotic caregiving remains more potential than reality. Most buyers are institutions rather than individuals, and adoption in private homes remains limited.

"Care facilities offer a controlled environment that is ideal for early deployment," said Xu Zhenfa, deputy head of ISBOT, a Chengdu-based robotics research institute. "But the real turning point will come when these machines are found not just in clinics, but in living rooms."

Elder care robots hold immense promise in a rapidly aging society, but their path into everyday households remains anything but smooth. Technical limitations, steep price tags, and a lack of supporting services continue to stand in the way of broader adoption.

At a senior care facility in Shenzhen, Guangdong, residents can play chess against robots or receive moxibustion therapy from robotic arms. Yet many of these machines require staff assistance just to power on. Some humanoid robots still struggle with basic language recognition, and falter in more complex environments.

Cost is another barrier. A search on Chinese e-commerce platforms showed that smart elder care robots equipped with AI-driven conversation and online medical support can cost upwards of 140,000 yuan (about 19,409 U.S. dollars). Walking-assist robots typically range from 10,000 to 30,000 yuan, while advanced rehabilitation models often exceed 100,000 yuan.

Despite the hurdles, industry experts remain largely optimistic about the future of elder care robotics.

Liu Qingfeng, chairman of Chinese AI giant iFLYTEK, noted that companion robots could make their way into homes within three years, while more advanced models capable of assisting people with limited mobility may become common in homes within five.

That outlook is backed by national policy. In guidelines released at the end of 2024, the government called for accelerating the application of elder care technologies, with a focus on humanoid robots, brain-computer interfaces, and artificial intelligence.

To translate that vision into everyday use, experts believe practical steps are needed. They recommend encouraging the development of affordable products, such as walking support devices priced below 5,000 yuan, and suggest introducing a rental system to lower the cost barrier for households.

Equally crucial, they noted, is helping seniors navigate the digital world. Training programs aimed at easing technological fears will be essential to ensure they can fully benefit from the convenience of connected living.

"As we develop elder care robots, we can't lose sight of the importance of family," said Wei Hongmin, vice dean of the School of Applied Technology at Anshan Normal University. "No machine can replace the bond between parents and their children."