5 Real Life Examples of How A Robot Enhances Lives

 There is a lot of discussion and debate about how robots are job threatening or cannot replace what people do. While this remains a bona-fide subject for on-going discussion, the fact is that my real-world experience is that there are significant enhancements that the NAO robot brings to the lives of many. Granted, the NAO robot which is a product of SoftBank Robotics, is a passion of mine, none-the-less, I feel compelled to leap into this discussion with real life examples of how we are better off with NAO. How NAO is making a real-world difference and a true contribution to what we do and how we live.

Let’s look at five examples:

NAO is clinically proven to reduce pain and anxiety in children facing hospital based medical procedures. Child Life Specialist are utilizing NAO in hospitals across North America as an assisted care giver, helping in the treatment and care of children. I know that the children, their caregivers and their parents are quite pleased and excited with the presence of NAO and the attendant reduction in pain and anxiety in children. This is a very good thing.

NAO is at the center of robot-mediated behavior intervention therapies for children on the autism spectrum. One only needs to see and experience the engagement, excitement and progress of these autistic children once engaged with NAO. Therapists and families gain a clear sense that NAO not only works but helps significantly. Hundreds of NAO’s work every day alongside teachers and therapists in autism therapies. It is good to see a happy and engaged autistic child.

NAO is at work in over 200 skilled nursing facilities for eldercare. NAO leads exercises sessions, leads games, leads dances, engages in cognitive dialogues and keeps elders informed. Not only is life more exciting for eldercare residents with NAO but I often see the impact upon children wanting to more often visit their aging grandparents ‘because the robot is there!’. Spend a moment in such a facility with NAO and you would see how the ‘day in the life’’ of an isolated resident becomes more engaging and yes, even transformative. Elderly residents and their caregivers love what NAO brings to their lives.

NAO is in hundreds of classrooms working with teachers and children teaching a full curriculum of lessons in math, science, technology, engineering and arts. NAO provides an engaging and exciting environment that draws the attention of children to learning in a manner more consistent with their experience and expectations in their digital worlds. Teachers enjoy the energy and magnetism NAO creates when learning, a magnetism that excites children about giving their attention to learning new things and re-enforcing previous lessons.

Lastly, it should not go unstated that there are of course many researchers, engineers and developers that benefit from their work in creating and building NAO robots and NAO applications.

So, there we have it. Five true life examples of how a robot enhances the lives of people.

The world is a better place with a NAO robot.

Mike Radice is Chairman of the Technology Advisory of ChartaCloud ROBOTTECA.com