Team name: 1408
Robotic companions are a promising technology developed in the medical care sector to aid the elderly in physical and cognitive tasks. I believe that robotic companions are an excellent way to help caregivers who care for the elderly. There are numerous designs of robots that can assist in a variety of ways, including companionship, assisting with independence, performing everyday duties, and interacting with the elderly. Along with the numerous advantages of this technology, there are also ethical concerns. The most serious concern is that the elderly receive less human contact. Robotic companions can assist the elderly with tasks, but this takes valuable time away from the caregiver, which could be spent with the elderly instead. Human interaction is beneficial to the elderly because it reduces stress and improves cognitive functioning, allowing them to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is essential as a lack of human contact raises the risk of acquiring Alzheimer's or dementia due to low mental stimulation. The elderly with mental illnesses such as dementia are more prone to be deceived by a robotic companion. Those who communicate with robots such as PARO may form an illusory relationship in which the user believes the robot has feelings and cares about them. This is dangerous because the elderly person may dedicate all of their time and attention to the robot while neglecting their relationships with friends and family. This may have a detrimental impact on both sides, as the elderly's sickness may deteriorate due to loneliness, resulting in poor mental health and may create concerns among friends and family. For robots designed for the elderly, privacy is an ethical concern especially those with Alzheimer's disease; care robots with remote controls may patrol their home as they change clothes or take a bath. Those suffering from Alzheimer's may be unaware that they are being watched, therefore they may participate in certain behaviours because they believe they are in the privacy of their own house. No one should have access to this type of data, and it should not be kept, this infringes on the privacy rights of the elderly. My thoughts on the subject is that even if these ethical problems are considerable, the benefits of robotic companions in future development may outweigh these issues. Because the technology is still in its early stages, it has the potential to have a large impact on the medical care industry in the future, but these concerns must be addressed. If we do not assure that the elderly receives adequate human contact, they may be more prone to acquiring mental illnesses and experiencing increased stress. The act of being misled by a robot poses a significant risk to the elderly, as it may diminish human contact and put the elderly in a bad place mentally. I advise the elderly who receive robotic companionship to retain regular human engagement with caregivers and family in order to ensure the user's mental health, especially those with mental illnesses such as dementia. This can be accomplished by informing their relatives that a robotic companion will be utilised to interact with them, but they should still connect with them frequently. The purpose of this technology is not to replace the need to interact with humans, but to improve the user's lifestyle, through physical duties, interaction and companionship. I urge that caretakers monitor how the elderly interact with the robot to ensure that they are not being misled, but also to ensure that they are not infringing on the privacy of elderly and that they are aware when the robot is being utilised.