China deploys humanoid robots to address elderly care crisis
BEIJING, CHINA — China has unveiled ambitious plans to integrate humanoid robots into elderly care services to address its aging population crisis.
Technology integration
The State Council’s recent directive positions China as a pioneer in formalizing robotics-based elderly care policies. These advanced robots will be designed to provide companionship, monitor health conditions, and potentially even mirror the appearance of family members.
Beijing’s Municipal Science and Technology Commission has already outlined a detailed action plan through 2027, focusing on developing robots capable of emotional support and intelligent household services.
Current demographics challenge
With 216.76 million citizens aged 65 and above by late 2023, representing 15.4% of the population, the nation faces a severe shortage of care facilities. Currently, there are only 8.2 million elderly care beds available nationwide.
Local implementation
The South China Morning Post reported that Beijing and Wuhan have released plans to deploy humanoid robots in various caregiving scenarios, including emotional companionship and intelligent household services.
These robots are being developed with features like 3D facial scanning and modeling technologies that allow them to adopt appearances that are comforting and familiar to the seniors they assist.
Professional care gap
The robot initiative comes amid a significant shortage of human caregivers. Statistics reveal a stark imbalance: approximately 45 million seniors with disabilities or dementia are served by just 500,000 certified carers.
To address this disparity, the government is simultaneously working to attract foreign investment and enhance professional training in the caregiving sector.
The ambitious roadmap aims to establish a comprehensive nationwide elderly care service network by 2029, with full implementation of a mature care system by 2035. This integration of advanced technology with traditional care methods represents China’s innovative approach to managing its aging population crisis.
Countries using humanoid robots vs. labor shortage
In the United Kingdom, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp promotes increased automation as an alternative to relying on migrant workers. He pointed to Australia and New Zealand’s adoption of robotic fruit-picking systems and South Korea’s extensive use of manufacturing robots – noting that South Korea employs nine times more robots than the UK.
In the United States, Figure’s AI-powered humanoid robot has begun its training at BMW’s manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The machine demonstrates improved skills in grasping complex shapes, navigating obstacles, and precisely placing parts. One notable feature is its ability to self-correct errors, such as tapping misaligned parts into place with the back of its hand.
Meanwhile, in Japan, West Japan Railway (JR West) has introduced a new humanoid robot for railway maintenance. Standing at 12 meters tall, the robot’s distinctive features include enormous arms that can be equipped with different attachments, allowing it to wield paintbrushes, chainsaws, or other tools as needed.
Former Amazon CEO Dave Clark expressed optimism about robots replacing humans, emphasizing that they enable workers to focus on more intellectually engaging tasks.
