New Company Puts Robots in Seniors' Homes

Companies such as SenCura are deploying robots in seniors' homes as caregivers, reports Voice of America News . One robot, called Rudy, is the brainchild of INF Robotics founder Anthony Nunez. He says his mother's experiences in caring for her own aging mother inspired Rudy's creation. "As I grew older, I realized we weren't the only family facing this problem," Nunez notes. "There are thousands of families facing the same issue — most cases even worse, where they have a loved one that they're taking care of and the cost becomes an issue. So what we wanted to do was design a robot that's easy to use, designed specifically for seniors, but also affordable." SenCura's Cliff Glier says INF's robotic technology is quite new to seniors, "so there will be some closer looks at it. People, I would say, are interested once they learn more and we have the opportunity to show them Rudy and the capabilities." Glier notes the robot does not compete with human caregivers, but supplements what in-home caregivers do for the growing population of seniors who prefer to age in place.