From an Autonomous Soccer Robot to a Robotic Platform for Eldery Care

Abstract

Current societies in developed countries face a serious problem of aged population. The growing number of people with reduced health and capabilities, allied with the fact that elders are reluctant to leave their own homes to move to nursing homes, requires innovative solutions since continuous home care can be very expensive and dedicated 24/7 care can only be accomplished by more than one care-giver. This paper presents the proposal of a robotic platform for elderly care integrated in the Living Usability Lab for Next Generation Networks. The project aims at developing technologies and services tailored to enable the active aging and independent living of the elderly population. The proposed robotic platform is based on the CAMBADA robotic soccer platform, with the necessary modifications, both at hardware and software levels, while simultaneously applying the experiences achieved in the robotic soccer environment.