Personalized, socially assistive robots, designed by Professor Goldie Nejat (MIE) and her team can help older adults with daily activities at home, promote quality of life and assist caregivers in providing support.
“Initially our robots were assisting with one or two tasks or activities at most and now we’re looking at how a robot could provide autonomous assistance with multiple tasks throughout the course of a day,” says Nejat.
These robots could support someone going grocery shopping, help them get dressed, prepare a meal or aid with exercise and dance therapy.
The personalization of the technology could eliminate the learning curve for the user while the robot continues to adapt to the user as they interact.
“The socially assistive robots are able to recognise speech, vocal intonation, facial expressions, body language and use these communication modes to determine their own behaviours,” says Nejat.
“We’re always developing intelligent robots to be able to adapt, update and personalise their interactions to keep the users engaged.”
Nejat is one of four U of T Engineering researchers to be awarded Canada Research Chairs (CRCs). The program funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada is designed to recognize and support research excellence across the country.
In addition to helping aging adults and those living with disabilities, Nejat sees the robots playing an important role for caregivers and in centres like long-term care homes and hospitals.
“We hear from caregivers that there are language barriers between them and care home residents,” says Nejat.
“The robot could be a translator and help them better understand the needs of the residents, or they could help in hospitals when a patient needs to communicate with a doctor.”
She says this technology is only a few years away and hopes it will help ease the pressure on the health-care system.
“As we saw during COVID, it’s very strained and it’s not necessarily getting better right now, but using technology will help support the individuals working in the system and those that need care,” says Nejat.
The Autonomous Systems and Biomechatronics Laboratory (ASBLab) that Nejat runs employs around 20 students and postdoctoral fellows, all working on different aspects of the technology.
In addition to socially assistive robots, they also work on search and rescue and service robots that can help find a missing person or be deployed in crowded spaces to find objects or people.
Nejat, who was previously awarded a CRC in 2014, says she’s grateful they’ve seen her technology as the future.
“The CRC has allowed my research to grow and my team to grow and has given me so many opportunities,” she says.
“I want to see these robots help people because we’re all going to get older and to have support that could keep us in our homes longer, it’s invaluable.”
The other three U of T Engineering researchers who have earned new or renewed Canada Research Chairs are:
- Amy Bilton (MIE) – Canada Research Chair in Engineering for Sustainable Global Development (new)
- Myrtede Alfred (MIE) – Canada Research Chair in Clinical Systems Equity (new)
- Ali Hooshyar (ECE) – Canada Research Chair in Electric Power Systems (renewal)
