Robot systems improve care and safety in aged care homes
Navigating human-robot interaction challenges in private and residential aged care homes
Human-Computer InteractionComputer Vision and Pattern RecognitionRobotics
Summary
Caring for older adults in nursing homes or private homes can be complicated because of clutter, different needs, and little tech support. The authors look at how robots and smart sensors can help with daily tasks, safety, and companionship in these settings. They focus on making robots easy to use for older people who may not know much about technology. They also highlight how to respect privacy and trust by controlling data and keeping information safe. Finally, they suggest ways to measure real-world performance and encourage future development to support aging with dignity and independence.
What this means in practice
- •For residential aged care managers: Implement robot-assisted systems that complement existing sensors to enhance resident safety and daily support while minimizing false alarms and technical downtime.
- •For smart home technology developers: Design accessible voice and screen interfaces for older adults with low digital literacy in cluttered home environments to improve usability and acceptance of assistive robots.
A survey. It maps existing work.
Authors
David Ahmedt-Aristizabal, Mohammad Ali Armin, Akila Pemasiri, Harshala Gammulle, Tharindu Fernando, David Silvera-Tawil, Simon Denman
Abstract
This chapter explores how robotic systems and ambient intelligence can enhance care for older adults in residential aged care (RAC) homes and private homes. Although these settings differ, we frame both as extreme and challenging environments for human-robot interaction (HRI), characterised by cluttered and dynamic layouts, diverse resident needs, and limited on-site technical support. We review embodied and non-embodied systems that assist with daily living, safety monitoring, and social engagement, highlighting hybrid deployments where robots complement fixed and wearable sensors. To ensure these technologies are usable and effective, design considerations consider the cognitive, physical, and social needs of older adults. Interaction design prioritises accessibility for older adults with low digital literacy, using robust but simple voice interfaces, small sets of non-verbal cues, accessible screen-based companions, and safe object handovers. Privacy, trust, and acceptability are addressed via practical strategies such as on-device inference, data minimisation, visible consent controls, and transparent data handling aligned with emerging artificial intelligence (AI) and privacy regulation. Evaluation emphasises real-world metrics including false alarms per day, time to recover from faults, staff workload, and long-term system reliability. We close by outlining open research challenges and future directions for scalable, regulation-ready deployments that support aging with dignity, safety, and independence.