Tokyo: In a Tokyo research lab, an AI-powered humanoid robot named AIREC gently placed one hand on a man’s knee and the other on his shoulder, rolling him onto his side—a crucial maneuver for elderly care, often used to change diapers or prevent bedsores.
Weighing 150 kilograms (330 lbs), AIREC is a prototype designed to assist in Japan’s rapidly ageing society, where a severe shortage of caregivers threatens the future of elderly care.
Japan’s Demographic Crisis
With one of the world’s fastest-aging populations and a shrinking birth rate, Japan faces an escalating crisis in elderly care. The country’s post-war baby boomers, born between 1947 and 1949, all reached the age of 75 by the end of 2024, further straining the already overburdened care sector.
Recent data from the health ministry revealed that only 720,988 babies were born in 2024, marking the ninth consecutive year of decline and a 5% drop from the previous year. Meanwhile, the nursing industry struggles to attract workers, with only one applicant for every 4.25 available jobs in December—far worse than Japan’s overall job-to-applicant ratio of 1.22.
Despite efforts to recruit foreign caregivers, only about 57,000 foreign workers were employed in the sector in 2023, making up less than 3% of the industry’s workforce.
Technology as a Solution
Experts believe robotics and AI-driven technology could help bridge the widening gap in caregiving.
“Given our highly advanced ageing society and declining births, we will be needing robots’ support for medical and elderly care, and in our daily lives,” said Shigeki Sugano, a professor at Waseda University and president of the Robotics Society of Japan.
Zenkoukai, an elderly-care facility operator, has already integrated some robotic assistance into daily routines. At one of its Tokyo centers, a small, doll-sized robot sings pop songs and leads stretching exercises, helping entertain residents while human caretakers focus on other tasks.
Sleep-monitoring sensors placed under mattresses have also proven practical, reducing the need for nighttime rounds by caregivers.
Challenges in Robotic Nursing
Despite advancements, humanoid robots that can physically interact with humans at a high level remain a technological challenge.
“Humanoid robots are being developed the world over. But they rarely come into direct contact with humans. They just do household chores or some tasks on factory floors,” Sugano explained. “Once humans enter the picture, issues like safety and how to coordinate a robot’s moves with each individual spring up.”
Also Read | Canada’s Privacy Watchdog Investigates X Over AI Data Use
AIREC is currently capable of assisting individuals with basic movements like sitting up, putting on socks, cooking scrambled eggs, and folding laundry. However, its widespread adoption in nursing-care facilities is unlikely before 2030, with an estimated initial cost of at least 10 million yen ($67,000).
Also Read | China Faces Pressure to Revive Sluggish Consumption with Stronger Policies
Takaki Ito, a caregiver at Zenkoukai, is cautiously optimistic about AI’s role in elderly care.
“If we have AI-equipped robots that can grasp each care receiver’s living conditions and personal traits, there may be a future for them to directly provide nursing care,” he said. “But I don’t think robots can understand everything about nursing care. Robots and humans working together to improve nursing care is a future I am hoping for.”
