Robotics company halts production of controversial robot carers

The Japanese company SoftBank is slashing jobs at its robotics centre in France and has for now stopped production of its iconic robot Pepper, which was touted as a social care robot, able to communicate through speech and gestures and detect signs an older person is feeling ill or in pain.

Pepper was launched in 2014 and triggered a debate on whether robots should be used in care. Advocates insisted it would be used as supplementary care to give medication and play music and videos rather than replacing human care.

In 2017, when trials of the robots began in hospitals and care homes, Age UK’s Caroline Abrahams said: “There's a lot to be said for making smarter use of technology to help people manage health conditions, stay independent for longer and improve the efficiency of back office functions.

“However, technology should only be introduced in situations where it delivers real benefits. When it comes to caring for older people there is no substitute for the human touch.”

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council purchased one to use for intergenerational projects and care provider Advinia Healthcare trialled the use of them in its care homes for a study with Bedfordshire and Middlesex universities.

Adults who used the humanoid interactive robot for up to 18 hours for a period of two weeks saw a significant improvement in their mental health. After two weeks, there was also a small but positive impact on people's feelings of loneliness, according to the study.

SoftBank claims to have stopped production as it currently has sufficient stock.

SoftBanks states that ‘in the light of the pandemic and economic slowdown, SoftBank Robotics Europe is considering a significant workforce optimization plan’.

In response to the news that production of the robot has halted, Simon Bottery, senior fellow at the King’s Fund tweeted: ‘There is huge potential for technology in #socialcare but it does not involve a cumbersome robot giving balance classes. Technology in care works best to enhance human contact, not replace it.’

Reuters claims that only 27,000 units were ever made and that the robot has largely been used for research and education purposes. So far, its hefty price tag is thought to have deterred the average consumer.