Design of a Help-Seeking Companion Robot for Elderly People Living Alone

Abstract: In recent years, the degree of aging on a global scale has intensified, and at the same time, “living alone” has become the norm for older people. Elderly people living alone not only have their children away from home, but they are also widowed. They are a more vulnerable group than the empty-nest elders. They often face triple barriers of physical, psychological and cognitive impairment, and are therefore often trapped in a difficult and lonely life. Therefore, in order to meet the needs of elderly people living alone to communicate with others and eager to solve life problems, this design hopes to build a small help-seeking companion robot based on the principles of emotional design and to dig deeper into the user’s spiritual satisfaction and emotional resonance. This design uses literature Data search method, network survey method, questionnaire interview method, market research method have conducted an in-depth understanding of the elderly living alone, companion robots, youth groups, etc., and determined the product positioning, use process, styling design and APP UI design.This design includes a robot end for the elderly living alone and an APP end for the youth group. The robot end mainly uses voice interaction to reduce the difficulty of using intelligent search and help the elderly in social activities, and to build a new form of communication between the elderly living alone and the elderly living alone, and between the elderly living alone and the youth group. The project is designed to meet the practical and spiritual needs of the elderly living alone, thus enhancing social stability and spiritual civilisation.

Keywords: elderly living alone, companion robot, emotional design

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001680

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