Can robots help solve China's elderly care crisis?
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Humanoid robots are increasingly being developed to take on elderly care tasks in China. At what its operators describe as the world's first intelligent robot care facility in Beijing, humanoid care robots are being tested for tasks including massage and health monitoring.
Behind the project lies a pressing problem: China already has around 320 million older people, while qualified caregivers are in short supply. Robotics and artificial intelligence are therefore seen as key technologies for meeting the country's growing demand for elderly care.
But their use in the real world also reveals limitations. Many visitors are curious, while others feel uneasy around the human-like machines. Care experts also stress that robots cannot yet replace human care and attention. For now, a gap remains between ambitious visions of the future and their practical application.