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ROBEAR Lifts!

It’s no secret that one of the biggest drivers behind Japan’s full-court press to develop useful robotics is its aging population. Government projections indicate 40 percent of Japanese will be 65 or older by 2060. That statistic actually contains a double whammy–a greying society means that there are fewer women in their childbearing years, which leads to fewer births and a shrinking population. What Japan is left with is a major demographic headache that will make it increasingly difficult to provide all the healthcare and elderly support services the country’s citizens will need.

Potentially stepping into the breach are machines like ROBEAR, a robotic nursing assistant being developed by the Sumitomo Riko Company and RIKEN, Japan’s largest research institution. The bot is designed to lift patients from bed or a sofa and place them into a wheelchair or to help those who can walk but can’t rise from a sitting position. 

We’re just not sure if the bear head is creepier than no head at all. What do you think? Read more and see the video below.