Starting today at the Mobile World Congress, the Eurecat technology centre is showcasing the Jana social care robot which is able to recognise faces and analyse its surroundings to build a natural connection with people and ease communication in clinical settings.
The Jana robot “is a prime example of how social robotics and artificial intelligence can transform the way people interact with technology, humanising innovation and making it more accessible to society,” says Daniel Serrano, director of Eurecat’s Robotics and Automation Unit.
Its development is based on an “affordable and adaptable design intended for medical and care applications with an accessible and scalable approach in health,” adds Magí Dalmau, head of the Cognitive Robotics Line in Eurecat’s Robotics and Automation Unit.
To interact with people, Jana responds when someone calls out to it with a “Hey Jana” or takes the initiative when it identifies the presence of people around it, thus enabling more seamless and accessible contact.
Furthermore, “it can express itself as it accompanies what it says with facial expressions and subtle movements to bolster communication and achieve a more natural connection with people,” points out Federica Loizzo, a researcher in Eurecat’s Robotics and Automation Unit.
Jana has been developed under a socially responsible approach, meaning that it factors in artificial intelligence privacy and ethics considerations and only processes data without storing images or sensitive information.
Smart hospital model
The Jana robot has been developed by Eurecat under AICCELERATE, a European project blending artificial intelligence and autonomous robotics to unlock a state-of-the-art hospital model.
The robot’s design, implementation and first trials have been conducted in partnership with Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona where it has demonstrated its ability to enhance interaction between patients, families and medical staff.
Come and visit us at Congress Square: booth CS210 space 43, in Digital Catalonia
