Have you ever seen a robot taking care of elderly people? Sounds strange, right? Well, not anymore! Artificial intelligence these days is advancing rapidly, and humanoid robots are taking over us humans. 

Stuff you might have seen in some sci-fi movies is now becoming a reality. Tech companies around the world are developing such robots that can help elderly people in their day-to-day lives by playing the role of a companion or even a nurse that can monitor their health. 

One such robot is Codey, which is created by a Seattle-based startup called Mind Children. The company was founded four years ago by Chris Kudla and Ben Goertzel. And when these two joined hands, they built a robot that literally can replace humans. 

Codey is a humanoid robot that is approximately three feet tall and has glowing eyes. It is designed to take care of elderly people who feel lonely in their homes. Codey is Mind Children’s first social robot prototype. Codey is not like your ordinary smartphone app or voice assistant. In fact, it has a physical body that can move on its own. Not only this, but it can actually talk and even give a high-five. Kudla and Goertzel believe that there are many things that a screen can’t really do, such as sitting in front of someone or interacting with them face-to-face. And that’s exactly why they created Codey. 

For elderly users, Codey can bring a meaningful impact on their lives. We all know that feeling of loneliness is one of the serious health risks for the elderly. This humanoid robot can keep elderly people active through communication and interactive activities. It can guide them through light exercise routines and even monitor their safety 24 hours a day. And in case something goes wrong with their health, Codey can instantly alert the human caregiver. 

Mind Children admits that Codey is not a finished product yet. For now, this robot can’t perform physical tasks like cooking food or picking up stuff from the floor. It even faces difficulty understanding human emotions. But if someone is too expressive or animated, Codey might figure out that person’s emotion, too. However, this is still a major limitation, especially for those adults who prefer to stay quiet and are not really expressive. 

In order to fill these gaps, the company is planning to start real-world trials in the USA. Codey will be tested in museums, hotels, art galleries, etc., where it’ll get to interact with a variety of people. The data collected from these trials will be used to develop a much better version of the robot. And according to Mind Children, they’re planning to launch that robot in 2027. 

Wondering what the cost of this robot would be? Well, the expected price of Codey is around $10,000. This price may sound quite low if you compare it with other humanoid robots. But still, there are many families around the world that find this price out of their budget. Hence, these robots may take a few more years before they become a part of everyday homes.