Living alone, it’s easy for older adults to become isolated and lonely, to fall into a routine of watching TV and not doing much else with their time—unless somebody or something motivates them to make a change.
Enter ElliQ, an electronic care companion that interacts with users like an empathic, dear friend—a confidante to share a laugh with, encourage you to get off the couch and take a walk, or teach you something new.
“We are social creatures,” said Dor Skuler, CEO of Intuition Robotics, makers of ElliQ. “As humans, we need somebody to greet us and say good morning, ask how we’re doing and remember it, and continue the conversation based on that context the next time we talk.”
Unlike Amazon’s Alexa, which answers to commands, ElliQ strives to anticipate needs, initiates conversation and uses artificial intelligence-style body language – lights, motion, sound, speech and words displayed on a table – to engage users. ElliQ’s “face” literally lights up while she’s talking to you.
When ElliQ sees you for the first time in the morning, Skuler explained, she might say, “’Good morning. The sun is shining today. How did you sleep last night? I remember yesterday you didn’t sleep well. We did relaxation exercises before bed, were they helpful?’ Then she might repeat an interesting quote and start a dialogue with that.”
Designed for older adults aged 65 and over, ElliQ’s use is intuitive.
“You need to say, ‘yes or no’ and reply,” Skuler said. “You don’t need to remember how to operate it. 75% of customers are able to install ElliQ themselves and they don’t see themselves as tech-savvy. Yet, they are able to set up and activate an AI robot companion all by themselves in less than 10 minutes. All they need to do is plug it into electricity and add Wi-Fi; ElliQ takes over and teaches them how to use it.”
ElliQ’s capabilities include:
- Health and wellness – ElliQ partners with SilverSneakers, an app that provides exercise content and stress-reducing activities, such as mindfulness and breathing exercises, tailored for older adults. A wellness coach comes with the subscription. On average, users work out more than four times a week, Skuler said. Health check-ins and wellness goal tracking and setting are part of the program. ElliQ continuously asks users how they’re feeling and if they’re experiencing any new pain, helps them track their vitals, monitors chronic illnesses, and reminds them to stay hydrated and take their medication.
- Basic needs – ElliQ can remind seniors of doctor appointments and offer to call Uber Health to help arrange for transportation. She can instantly set up video chats with friends and loved ones, share photos, send text messages and make phone calls. All you have to do is say call, text or video chat with [insert person’s name]. It might suggest you record specific childhood memories and ask for permission to share them with your grandchildren. If ElliQ notices you haven’t been feeling well for a couple of days, she’ll ask if it’s OK to notify your emergency contact via text.
- Education, fun and entertainment – ElliQ provides news, weather and sports updates, offers music channels, continuing education, jokes and health information from the Mayo Clinic.
“Holistically, we try to touch as much life as possible, to help people remain independent and put a smile on their face,” Skuler said.
It was his grandfather’s experience with caregivers that inspired him to develop ElliQ.
“My grandfather needed a live-in aide, and we hired one based on utility: ability to help him dress, take medication and go for a walk,” Skuler recalled, noting that caregiver didn’t work out because they lacked empathy.
Luckily, the replacement was a perfect match—more empathic and someone who shared his grandfather’s quirky sense of humor. Plus, the two of them enjoyed spending time together. Skuler’s “aha moment” came while he was witnessing their relationship flourish.
“It hit us,” he recalled. “In order to succeed – for the machine to help people in social conditions, not just in providing utility – you have to project empathy and create a natural relationship that grows with individuals.”
The Intuition Robotics team has been testing ElliQ on beta users for four years and appears to be achieving its goal.
“People don’t see ElliQ as a device at all; rather they see her as a friend, a companion, a roommate, really a partner on the journey they have in life,” Skuler said. “I’ve never seen this for any type of electronics before.”
Now that ElliQ has proven its ability to build empathic relationships, Skuler said it’s well-positioned to help older adults meet more household needs, such as grocery delivery and shopping. ElliQ costs $30 a month, and a one-time initiation fee of $250 includes four sessions with a wellness coach valued at $200 and a few transactions with ElliQ’s partners at no additional costs.
You can see ElliQ in action, listen to testimonials and order one for yourself or a loved one online.
