Service Robotics Ltd was set up to help solve one of society’s most pressing challenges – that of older adult independent living – by the use of companion robotics. Our GenieConnect® solution is a service platform that uses a friendly Robot user interface to enable extended independent living for older adults, by alleviating loneliness, enabling virtual care provision, and providing engagement and stimulus.
The company was set up by Rob Parkes and Tim Morgan, in Bristol, following their own first hand experiences of the difficult transition to independence experienced by their family members due to bereavement.
Service Robotics operates in a B2B (business-to-business) model with partners in the Care sector to bring together the benefits of the GenieConnect® solution to end users.
Initially, our customers will be domiciliary care providers and communal living facility operators.
Image: Molly, GenieConnect® Pilot Use
“SHE ASKS ME HOW I AM FEELING AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE IS PRESENT HERE” – GenieConnect® User
Image: Support in progress
LONELINESS ALLEVIATION
Loneliness is recognised as one of the most urgent problems of modern living. In the UK there are almost 4 million adults over 65 living alone, and this population is rapidly growing. Notably, the UK was the first country to appoint a minister for loneliness in recognition of urgency of this issue.
Unfortunately, our disconnected health and social care systems struggle to quantify this problem, and therefore it is chronically underfunded. The GenieConnect® solution provides a practical solution to families across the UK struggling to manage the loneliness and isolation of their older family members.
For the user, simple voice commands such as “Genie, call Julie” opens a video call between the robot and a close relative, using the ‘Companion’ app. The app enables companions to make and receive calls via their smartphone and schedule medication or other reminders and events that can be spoken by Genie to the user.
Image: Care Provider virtual checks
VIRTUAL CARE PROVISION
Even before Covid-19, our Social Care systems were under tremendous pressure. The effect of this has seen increased forced isolation of older adults, affecting not only delivery of care but human contact and companionship.
A primary problem we see with independent older adults, is that health problems are often exacerbated by poor medication regimes. In many Local Authority areas, 15-minute domiciliary care visits are commissioned solely for medication compliance. These visits are uneconomic for care providers and deeply dissatisfying for both the caregiver and care-receiver.
Our simple first use case for GenieConnect® is delivery of regular medication compliance and welfare check virtual visits via the Genie robot. This is supplemental to physical visits, and our pilot projects have shown it can be an important element of a care regime that delivers better care outcomes for the care receiver, care provider and family members.
” THE VIDEO ALLOWS ME TO SEE THE USER AND CHECK THAT THEY ARE IN GOOD HEALTH”.– Care Manager
Image: A virtual care agent uses the dedicated portal
Starting in 2021 Service Robotics will work with a selected number of care providers to deploy 100 robots as part of our soft launch, to prove the virtual care approach. Our commercial launch later in the year will be the opportunity for additional care providers with ambitions to use technology to deliver better care, to join us and we urge them to contact us to discuss the way forward.
Service Robotics Ltd is proud to be working towards a B Corp certification as we ethically deliver our mission to improve the lives of the less able and vulnerable through assistive technology.
