Enhanced AI Care for the Elderly
2024
Human-Centred AI Award
Winner
Carinthia Care Research Centre
Designers / Creators / Authors / Leaders
Maximillian Berger
"Emilia" is an innovative AI system designed to support elderly individuals living alone, offering a compassionate and intelligent companion. Emilia engages in meaningful conversations by listening attentively to the elderly person’s stories, memories, and experiences, allowing it to discuss the individual's personal history, career, and family in a relatable manner. Beyond conversation, Emilia is integrated with the home's electrical system, enabling it to monitor daily activities subtly—like when the kettle is used or how often the fridge is opened—without relying on invasive video surveillance. This information allows Emilia to ensure the safety and well-being of the elderly, functioning as a gentle alarm system that alerts caregivers or emergency services if unusual patterns or potential issues are detected. The system's human-centered design prioritizes privacy and emotional connection, enhancing the quality of life for those it serves.
Emilia can hear sound in the main rooms of a dwelling. The idea is that Emila is a companion who can converse with the lerderly person and also hear and speak as the elderly person moves about. In this early version, Emilia can express five emotions, enthusiasm, sadness, interest, impatience and even boredom. Research has shown that this mix of positive and negative emtional responses gives a more natural and human-based spirit to the conversations.
The Emilia design is created to avoid looking like high-tech and instead is related to the homes of the users. The appearance is based on research in human-tech interface such that the light impulses vary between listening, talking and even just on standby.
