Doro, Coro and Oro are three robots by the Institute of BioRobotics of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies to provide assistance to the elderly
Doro, an acronym for Domestic Robot, helps people move around the house, remembers appointments (including medicine schedules), detects gas leaks, makes video calls and, if necessary, orders groceries online. Coro, also known as Condominium Robot, is designed for the surveillance of condominiums: it moves in a lift from one floor of the building to another, has no arms but mounts a long conveyor belt that it uses to exchange objects – even large ones – with the other two robots. Oro, on the other hand, is an Outdoor Robot, a device designed for the outdoors: it is able to move around the city autonomously thanks to sophisticated position sensors and can be used to collect groceries, throw away the rubbish or accompany the elderly on walks.
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Robots for elderly care
After “taking the place” of chefs, personal trainers and carers, robots are ready to replace pets as well. The next frontier of domestic robotics is pets. What are they for? They are increasingly sophisticated hi-tech toys designed to please those who love pets but can’t (or don’t want to) commit too much to looking after them. Elephant Robotics – a Shenzhen-based company specialising in the creation of industrial and domestic robots – has recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to finance the MarsCat project, a real “robot cat” that meows, purrs, jumps and plays (almost) like a real kitten. It is a true concentration of tenderness and technology: the robot has bionic limbs to move in all directions and integrates six tactile sensors along its body. A 5-megapixel camera is hidden inside the nose, allowing the cat to “see” what is happening outside, while the mouth houses a special sensor for orientation in space. MarsCat also has a Raspberry Pi 3 RAM memory that allows it to store large amounts of data and is powered by an electric battery that provides up to 3 hours of ‘constant interaction’. Just like a real cat, MarsCat will be able to meow in different ways and interact with its surroundings.
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