Notícias

Elderly from Caritas see GrowMu in study-visit to University of Coimbra

Under international robotics project GrowMeUp, the elderly of Caritas Diocesana de Coimbra who will participate in the project met and interacted for the first time with the robot GrowMu. GrowMeUp is a technological project coordinated by the University of Coimbra aimed at the development and testing of an innovative robot that will support seniors over 65 years in their daily life activities.

On December 2nd, the project team and the elderly of the Home Care Service of Caritas Coimbra – from the Centres Rainha Santa Isabel, N.ª Sr.ª dos Milagres and S. Pedro – visited the Institute for Systems and Robotics at the University of Coimbra for their first interaction with the robot. Dr. Luis Santos presented the project objectives and prepared a brief system test session, in which participant had the opportunity to see the robot in action, walking, smiling and talking, finishing with a tour on the Institute’s working room.

The elderly could also discuss several issues regarding their questions, concerns and interests concerning the pre-trial that will start on February 2016.

New technologies that support the elderly to improve their quality of life and promote healthy ageing are one of the Caritas Coimbra priorities and that is what fits the institution’s participation in this project. GrowMu is a social robot that is not intended to replace the services already provided by institutions or the contact with caregivers, formal or informal, but rather a complement to the daily lives of older people, supporting their daily tasks and their periods of solitude.

This project is co-financed by the European Union under Horizon 2020 funding program, involving eight partners from six different countries, led by the University of Coimbra (apart from the UC and Caritas Coimbra, the consortium includes the University of Geneva, Zuyderland , the University of Cyprus, PAL Robotics, ProBayes and Citard IT Services) that are cooperating in developing the system.