MIRO

MIRO is a social robot developed by Consequential Robotics, a company founded by Sebastian Conran, in collaboration with University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The robot is designed to assist and interact with elderly people, particularly those with dementia, and has been tested in various care homes, including Care UK and Bupa Care Homes. MIRO has also been showcased at events such as Robotics Week and International Conference on Social Robotics, where it has been demonstrated alongside other robots like Pepper and Nao.

● Introduction to

MIRO MIRO is a small, wheeled robot that can navigate and interact with its environment using a range of sensors, including infrared sensors, ultrasound sensors, and cameras. The robot is equipped with a tablet computer that displays a user interface designed to be intuitive and easy to use, even for people with cognitive impairments. MIRO has been compared to other social robots, such as Jibo and Mayfield Robotics, and has been recognized for its potential to improve the lives of older adults with age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, which are studied by researchers at National Institute on Aging and World Health Organization. MIRO has also been used in research studies at University of California, Los Angeles and University of Oxford.

● History of

MIRO The development of MIRO began in 2015 with a collaboration between Consequential Robotics and University of Sheffield, with funding from Innovate UK and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The robot was designed to address the growing need for care robots that can assist and interact with older adults in care homes, such as Anchor Hanover and MHA. MIRO was first showcased at the International Conference on Social Robotics in 2016, where it was demonstrated alongside other robots like Robear and Roboy. Since then, MIRO has been tested and refined in various care homes, including Barchester Healthcare and HC-One, and has been recognized for its potential to improve the lives of people with dementia, which is a focus of research at Alzheimer's Research UK and Dementia UK.

● Features and Functionality

MIRO has a range of features and functionalities that enable it to interact and assist older adults, including reminders, games, and entertainment options. The robot can also provide companionship and social interaction, which are essential for mental health and wellbeing, as studied by researchers at National Institute of Mental Health and World Health Organization. MIRO is equipped with natural language processing capabilities, which allow it to understand and respond to voice commands, similar to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The robot can also be controlled using a mobile app, which allows caregivers to monitor and interact with MIRO remotely, using telepresence technology, similar to Skype and Zoom Video Communications.

● Applications of

MIRO MIRO has a range of potential applications in healthcare and social care, including care homes, hospitals, and community care settings. The robot can be used to provide companionship and social interaction for older adults, as well as to assist with daily living tasks, such as medication reminders and appointment scheduling. MIRO can also be used to provide therapy and rehabilitation services, such as cognitive therapy and physical therapy, which are offered by organizations like American Physical Therapy Association and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Additionally, MIRO can be used to support caregivers and family members who are caring for older adults with dementia or other age-related diseases, which is a focus of research at Family Caregiver Alliance and AARP.

● Technical Specifications

MIRO is a wheeled robot that measures 40 cm in height and 30 cm in width, and weighs approximately 10 kg. The robot is equipped with a tablet computer that runs on Android operating system and has a touchscreen display. MIRO has a range of sensors, including infrared sensors, ultrasound sensors, and cameras, which enable it to navigate and interact with its environment. The robot is powered by a rechargeable battery that provides up to 8 hours of operation, and can be charged using a USB port. MIRO is also equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, which allows it to connect to the internet and access cloud-based services, such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. Category:Robots