South Australian aged care provider Tanunda Lutheran Home (TLH) is trialling its 10th robot - a Chat GPT-enabled companion robot which has been developed by US-based Andromeda Robotics.
The ‘Abi Robot’ will arrive at the 120-bed TLH, in the Barossa Valley, 70km northeast of Adelaide, in late April 2024 for a trial that will last for up to two years.
The robot will be obtained under a Leasing Agreement at a cost of about $1,200 per month. It's “a better option than purchasing” due to the development of new robots in the future, TLH CEO Lee Martin (pictured right), told The SOURCE.
“The robot has the ability to make relationships with people through the use of AI and facial recognition,” he said.
“It can sing and dance, do Tai Chi and produce bubbles whilst playing music.
“It can also speak 90 different languages.”
TLH, which also operates 135 ILUs, has already had a two-day trial with the robot.
“The residents loved it,” Lee said.
TLH has been an early adopter of robots and technology. The provider was awarded an ‘Excellence in Technology Implementation’ award by the Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council at their annual ITAC conference last week.
With Abi, TLH It will have 10 robots in use:
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Three truck robots (Lamson - Axil, Robby & Penni) that deliver food, return empty containers, and deliver laundry
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Two cleaning Robots (Pudu – 1 x dry / 1 x wet)
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Delivery Robot (Poppi) - delivers from the café to various offices
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Infection Control Robot (Speckle) cleans 32 areas
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Window Cleaning Robot - one complete window clean per week
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Concierge Robot (Temi – development trial)
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Two Social Robots – (Paro the Seal and Abi)
In November 2021, Lee spoke to our digital magazine, SATURDAY, about the importance of using robotics in aged care.
In 2023 at a DCM Group ‘AI in aged care’ webinar, Lee shared his experience of having three robots “roaming” the corridors of TLH, transporting linen around the facility and cleaning touch points.
Those robots were funded through a Business Improvement Fund grant from the Federal Government - however, no grant funding is available for Abi, Lee said.
Last year, Lee predicted that within two or three years, robots would be being used for supervision, security, performing minor clinical tasks, such as taking a residents’ temperature and blood pressure, and reporting data.
He didn’t predict that in less than 12 months’ time robots would be keeping residents company – but things move quickly in the tech world.
