Can robots help tackle loneliness? Dr Dave Cameron It was announced this week that Robots to be used in UK care homes to help reduce loneliness . Dr Dave Cameron gives his thoughts on robots tackling loneliness. Photo by Alex Knight from Pexels What do you make of “companion robots”? Do you think they really could be the solution for curing loneliness in old age? Companion robots have a real potential as a research tool to better understand how people interact with each other and how social interactions progress. Their use in supporting people who are lonely is admirable but a lot of the ground work still needs to be done. I don’t think loneliness in old age could be solved just by using companionship robots. Companion robots may help though: they can provide entertainment, comfort, or distraction from loneliness, similar to other media, but not tackle the issue itself. They can offer a simulation of a relationship but that experience may be closer to the social connection felt when
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