Project Flow

We conducted our research project based on Field-based Inovation.
Our research and development plan is roughly outlined as follows:
  1. 1) To first have PaPeRo which eqcuiped tested by elderly members of the public and help clarify what additional functions are required.
  2. 2) To ascertain the necessary techniques and technologies for further improvement, and then implement for a practical robot system.
  3. 3) To review possible improvements on the human services side.
  4. 4) To consider the implementation of a comprehensive support service system.
  5. 5) To conduct a pilot study and verify the robot system's effectiveness.

At Present

At present, we are working on the following things:
  1. Prototype design of the robot-to-human interaction in a way that responds to the user's needs
  2. Decision of a synthesized voice that is easy to understand for elderly people
  3. Improving the robot system's voice recognition of the speech of elderly people
  4. Investigation of the robot system's ability to relay information
  5. Concretization of the practical features of the robot system and marketing research
 

A schematic diagram of our research and development plan is below. For more details, see the attached PDF file:
Framework and System Concept    (pdf file)
Summary of Research and Development Activities     (pdf file)

List of Residences for Field Testing

Life House Tomodachi-mura
Life & Senior House Kawaguchi
Life House Urawa
Life & Senior House Chikusa
Kamifuda Tsudoi no Ie
Life & Senior House Tokorozawa
Life & Senior House Kouhoku 2

So Far

So far, we have made progress on the following three fronts:

  1. Proof of concept of the robot system helping the elderly deal with forgetfulness; for details, see the attached PDF file:

    Evaluation of the prototype of the interactive information support system     (pdf file)

  2. Development of voice recognition technologies
  3. Construction of a robot platform (the PaPeRo R500)