ELLI-Q is a cute little robot-like device designed to assist older folks. It is especially helpful for older adults living alone. And I’m all in favor of anything that allows older adults to stay independent and n their homes as long as possible.
ELLI-Q looks like a little featureless robot attached to a base with an integrated tablet. It is kind of cute and inviting, which is kind of the point. It doesn’t look like intimidating high tech, so it is much more likely to be used.
Simple Conversations
ELLI-Q incorporates proactive AI, which means not only does it respond to verbal conversation, it actually initiates it. It can greet you and ask how you are doing, just like a human companion. It will tell a joke, play music, play games, or give you the news and weather.
Assistance With Daily Tasks
The device can help you keep track of taking your medications. It can set reminders for your appointments. It can even help with finding local professionals or arranging transportation (looks like that is through a partnership with UBER.)
Keeping Up With Your Health
Besides keeping you up to date with your medications, ELLI-Q will proactively ask you how you are doing. It can track things like blood pressure and heart rate for you. And with your consent it will contact trusted loved ones with any health concerns. One note the company does emphasize however is that ELLI-Q is not an emergency device. It will not call 911.
To help keep you healthy it can encourage exercise by playing follow along videos on the tablet and keep encouraging you along the way.
Connections With Others
We read everywhere that keeping connected is the most important thing as we age. ELLI-Q encourages keeping connections in several ways:
Video Calls
The device allows you to easily make video calls to friends and family.
Messages
ELLI-Q makes it easy to send and receive messages. And of course that includes images so it’s easy to share memories.
Notifying Loved Ones
As mentioned the device can inform loved ones of even minor health concerns. This way they can hopefully be addressed before they become serious.
Again, it’s all proactive. One thing I noticed in the demo was how ELLI-Q encourages you to stay in contact with others. After receiving and hearing a message ELLI-Q immediately asks if you want to reply. This encourages the back and forth conversations with others that are so vital
Affordable
A device like this is only useful if it is affordable. Looking at the company’s website it looks like the cost is about $50 a month, plus a $250 setup fee. While this isn’t nothing, at least it isn’t thousands of dollars and available only to the rich. The company says they work with several aging agencies to assist with the cost.
I’m excited to see new tech coming out that helps older adults. I can’t wait to see what else the future may bring. If you want to learn more about ELLI-Q the company’s website is:
Additionally you can search YouTube for some good videos showing the capabilities of ELLI-Q. Seeing it in action is really interesting!
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