Robotics in Elderly Healthcare: A Review of 20 Recent Research Projects

TL;DR

This review paper analyzes 20 recent research projects on healthcare robots for the elderly, highlighting current focus areas, ethical considerations, and future research directions in robotic elderly care.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive categorization and thematic analysis of recent elderly healthcare robotics projects, offering a roadmap for future research.

Findings

Focus on care robot functionalities

Robots viewed as commercial products

Limited attention to design and ethics

Abstract

Studies show dramatic increase in elderly population of Western Europe over the next few decades, which will put pressure on healthcare systems. Measures must be taken to meet these social challenges. Healthcare robots investigated to facilitate independent living for elderly. This paper aims to review recent projects in robotics for healthcare from 2008 to 2021. We provide an overview of the focus in this area and a roadmap for upcoming research. Our study was initiated with a literature search using three digital databases. Searches were performed for articles, including research projects containing the words elderly care, assisted aging, health monitoring, or elderly health, and any word including the root word robot. The resulting 20 recent research projects are described and categorized in this paper. Then, these projects were analyzed using thematic analysis. Our findings can be summarized in common themes: most projects have a strong focus on care robots functionalities; robots are often seen as products in care settings; there is an emphasis on robots as commercial products; and there is some limited focus on the design and ethical aspects of care robots. The paper concludes with five key points representing a roadmap for future research addressing robotic for elderly people.