At Broca Hospital in Paris, Robots Accompany Elderly People

At Broca Hospital in Paris, robots accompany the elderly

January 11, 2025

By Enola Tissandie And Aurore Neyrat THE Subscribers

At Broca Hospital in Paris, social robots like Nao, Pepper, and Paro help caregivers improve patient support. At the Broca Living Lab, psychologists and engineers study these innovative tools to strengthen non-drug therapies while supervising their ethical use.

ChatGPT

In healthcare settings, social robots are already being integrated into non-drug therapies, to test the memory of patients with Alzheimer's disease or guide activity guides.

NEWSCOM/SIPA

The “blue building” of the Broca hospital, in the 13the district of Paris, is home to curious characters. In a round, glass room, residents of the various geriatric services can meet Nao, Pepper, or even Paro. The latter, in the shape of a baby seal, is particularly popular. Patients take him in their arms or on their lap, and caress him, explains Lauriane Blavette, research engineer at the Broca Living Lab. With its sensors, it senses the pressure of the hands and reacts to it. This creates an interaction with the patients, who sometimes have remained withdrawn for several weeks.

These social robots are at the heart of experimental studies. At the Broca Living Lab (AP-HP/Université Paris-Cité), psychologists, engineers and caregivers are leading projects to improve their use in healthcare establishments.. "Here, we are particularly interested in new technologies, and their use in supporting the elderly, caregivers and geriatric professionals.", underlines Maribel Pino, clinical psychologist and director of the laboratory.

Humanoid robots Robotics Elderly person Ethics

Science and Future Newsletter

Subscribe to Newsletters

Health: most read articles

en_USEnglish