Robots could be seen on the streets of Newcastle after a global research project was launched to see how they can help older people stay active.
With growing numbers of older people needing care, the Newcastle-based National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) trial is looking at how ‘gita robots’ could not only help encourage walking but foster more independent and sustainable living, as well as potentially lessen the effects of loneliness and isolation.
The gita robots – which follow a person as they walk, can carrying up to 18kg of cargo, move up to six miles an hour and communicate through sound, light, touch and 360 degree vision - are being tested by the NICA team at the landmark 24-acre Newcastle Helix innovation cluster.
Researchers will study human experiences and interactions with the robots and explore user acceptance. The project will also examine how users adopt the tech companion and test to see if it can be used by older adults to help with heavy loads and shop locally.
Ultimately, it is hoped that using the gita robot will encourage older people to walk more, giving them the confidence to go out into their communities and feel connected with the outside world.
Future uses and considerations will also play a vital part in the research, such as whether, in light of Covid-19, the technology could have the potential to help people keep a safe distance.
The end goal is to understand how to best adopt these devices in cities like Newcastle, supporting people to remain healthy, active, independent, and connected in later life.
Prof Nicola Palmarini, director of the Centre for Ageing at Newcastle University, said: “This exciting development could be a door to freedom for so many of our older people who need extra support but want their independence.
“At NICA we’re ideally placed to take the gitas into Newcastle and this is one of the first cities in the world where this device will be applied to real-case scenarios involving older adults.
“This is crucial to our approach: real interactions, with real people, tested in a real context can help to gain those qualitative, more than quantitative insights, which are the key to helping other companies develop similar concepts based on innovative and disruptive thinking to enhance urban mobility that meets human needs.
“Older people tend to travel and leave home less frequently and while there has been much focus recently on electric bikes or self-driven vehicles, we believe gita could encourage a more practical, sustainable and healthy mode of transport – walking.”
Gita – which was launched to consumers in the US in 2019 - is made by Boston-based robotics company Piaggio Fast Forward (PFF) and is backed by the Piaggio Group, the makers of the iconic Vespa scooter.
The NICA trial is part of their work to help make a society that is better equipped to meet the opportunities and challenges of an ageing population.
Coun Ged Bell, cabinet member for employment and culture at Newcastle City Council, said: “Our city has a history of innovation and the early adoption and testing of new technologies like this, will give us an insight into what our city could look like in the not-too-distant future.
“It’s hard to imagine our city as a place where robots and people share the same space, from tackling social isolation to creating more walkable communities, the impact on those who live and work in our city could be profound. This trial will play a vital part in helping shape the future of mobility not only in Newcastle but across the UK.”
Jeffrey Schnapp, co-founder and chief visionary officer at Piaggio Fast Forward, added: “The gita robot brings people together, gives them more opportunities to connect, and makes local living easier, smarter, and more fun.
“We are eager to see how the community members of Newcastle use gita and watch it change their way of navigating their daily routines on foot.”
