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Expanding European Demand for Robot Developed to Reduce the Risk of Dementia (July 9, 2014)
- Date : 2015-01-08
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Public Relations Team
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Sil-Bot is an intelligent robot able to recognize facial features and carry on basic conversation. It is also capable of detecting and moving objects to avoid collision. The robot was developed to reduce the risk of dementia and assist in elderly healthcare. It is equipped with a “Brain Fitness Program” which includes many games designed to improve memory, attention and awareness. It is currently being used in many Korean elderly care facilities including Gangnam-gu Dementia Support Center, Samsung Noble County, Busan Metropolitan City Dementia Support Center, Gyeonggi Dementia Support Center and at a senior citizen center in Denmark.
The move toward a joint venture gained momentum when a group of technical advisors from CareNet of Denmark visited KIST in 2011. Subsequent to this visit, these advisors established several pilot programs in Denmark. Early this year, the municipality of Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, contacted KIST to discuss the possible establishment of a joint venture. Since then, the municipality has been examining the demand for robotic healthcare assistance in Denmark and has been actively recruiting more institutions and investors to join the joint venture. The joint venture is set to start soon after all parties involved agree on the specifics related to equity ownership and investment size.
The city of Aarhus has been running the Brain Fitness Program with a Sil-Bot unit at its Senior Citizen Center since late 2011. Earlier this year, it purchased three units of Sil-Bot 3, the most recent Sil-Bot model, from Robocare, and plans to purchase at least three more units at USD 26,000 each. Further design modifications have been incorporated into Sil-Bot 3, resulting in a lower error rate, noise reduction, improved moving speed, improved recognition function, and enhanced navigation. It is anticipated that the municipality will purchase the newly developed robots from the joint venture. Not only do joint venture sales bring stable and steady profits to KIST, but they also help in attracting larger scale investments.
Robocare will participate in the joint venture scheme without making a capital contribution. However, it will share in ownership by making contributions of technology support and providing robot hardware, software technologies, and a software development kit (SDK). The SDK of Sil-Bot is expected to draw the attention of European consumers and institutional investors. Kim Sang Moon, the head of the Frontier Intelligent Robotics Program, stated “The pilot stage for dementia prevention robot development is over with all legal and administrative procedures and local bidding processes completed. The product is ready to hit the mass market.” He added, “This is an example of a leading welfare country pioneering robotics products in the field of elderly welfare.” He further added “This is the beginning of a new economic system where elderly care and robot technology converge.”