Japan's LOVOT Companion Robot Makes Abu Dhabi Healthcare Debut

LOVOT, a small Japanese robot that is made to seek attention, form an emotional connection with people, and respond to touch, was showcased at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit. Its appearance at the event underlined the kind of interest social robots are generating in the fields of elderly care and healthcare. 

The robot was presented by Public Intelligence of Denmark on October 21 at the Mediclinic Middle East stand in the ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. Developed by GROOVE X in Tokyo, LOVOT is not for carrying out medical procedures or moving supplies like some of its robotic counterparts; it is meant to be a companion through its warmth, interactivity and the way it moves. 

A Robot Designed for Human Connection 

With the aid of sensors, cameras and artificial intelligence, LOVOT can get around on its own, make out who is in front of it and feel when it is being held or stroked. It will come to a person for some interaction, and the warmth of its body is similar to human body temperature. Then there are the expressive eyes and other behavioural changes which are all part of an effort to encourage emotional attachment. 

“LOVOT moves autonomously and will actively look to interact with those in its vicinity,” said Peter Julius, CEO of Public Intelligence, in a statement to Emirates News Agency (WAM). It is a technology designed for companionship, not for doing the housework or taking the place of a healthcare professional. 

Exploring Its Potential in Healthcare 

The presentation in Abu Dhabi was presented via Public Intelligence’s partnership with Mediclinic Middle East as the two companies look at what social robotics can do for a more personalised healthcare experience and for emotional well-being. 

There has been research into LOVOT beyond the UAE already. In Denmark, a project with Aalborg University and care centres has examined its use for residents with dementia who may be lonely or have trouble with social engagement, to see if contact with such a robot has any bearing on stress levels and how they feel. But these efforts don’t establish that LOVOT is a treatment for dementia or offers clinically proven mental health advantages, let alone be a substitute for human company. 

Looking Toward Regional Healthcare Applications 

Public Intelligence also used the occasion of the summit, which ran from the 20th to the 22nd of October, to gauge regional interest in social robotics and open up partnerships. Among the technology firms and researchers in attendance were healthcare providers to discuss the latest in patient care and digital health. 

Yet no word was given of a confirmed deployment for a UAE hospital, nor have the companies disclosed a commercial agreement or timetable for rolling out LOVOT in the region’s facilities.  

The question for a provider is whether a social robot can add to the day-to-day of a patient through some measure of meaningful interaction. The showcase in Abu Dhabi introduces that possibility to a regional audience, but more testing and research are required to determine where a companion robot is of tangible use.