According to the U.S. Census Bureau via Ohio University, there will be 76.4 million people under 18 by 2035, and nearly 78 million people aged 65 and older. Japan faces a more severe situation, where there aren’t enough people entering the workforce to support the one in three individuals currently over the age of 65.
Healthcare robots could lend a helping hand. Japan is currently testing 5,000 robots at nursing care institutions—a market expected to triple by 2020.
Currently, there are several non-human assistants already parading around Japan’s healthcare scene. Pepper, manufactured by SoftBank Robotics, focuses on customer service by reading people’s emotions. However, Pepper can also monitor corridors during the night, and talk to patients in need.
Robear serves as another example, a robot developed by RIKEN and Sumitomo Riko Company Limited that can help transition patients from a bed to a wheelchair, or provide stability for those who require support to stand.
After further research into robots’ movements, communication, human-machine interactions, and more—what’s next?
To answer this question and learn more about the rise of robots in healthcare, check out the infographic below, created by Ohio University’s Online Master of Science in Nursing.