Si–Robotics: an assistive experimental robot

Abstract

SiRobotics is a European-funded project that involves 17 partners among companies and universities, which worked together to design and develop novel solutions of collaborative assistive ICT robotics with advanced capabilities to support caregivers, users and families in healthcare services, while acting with a socially acceptable behavior. The aim of the project is to support weak users in their daily activities, whether they live in home environments or elder care facilities; assessing the progress of their physical and cognitive decline, i.e. cognitive frailty, dementia, mild cognitive impairment, etc., will enable early diagnosis, objective assessment, therapy control and rehabilitation. Si-Robotics system will be used within the context of elder care facilities or home environments, characterized by the presence of frail people requiring gentle and dedicated attention and interaction, assisted by professional and/or in-formal caregivers and medical operators, working with very scheduled and demanding tasks; a first prototype developed in all its physical and interactional features is being tested in a simulation with real end users. The paper will describe our design process and the following choices, involving the shape and aesthetics of the robot.