As more and more age tech hits the market, I've been testing the most innovative gadgets for older folks and caregivers. Age tech is a rapidly growing category focused on remote caregiving, improving quality of life, and enabling older folks to stay in their own homes for longer. The US Census Bureau says around 16 million elders (over 65) live alone. While the majority are healthy, with family and friends nearby, many lack support and may be battling physical and mental decline. Whether you're getting older or trying to help an aging loved one, there's an increasingly diverse range of gadgetry to choose from, but as a nascent category, it's tricky to know what will help.

For the past few weeks, the AI-powered ElliQ companion robot has perched on the end of my desk. Designed by Intuition Robotics for seniors living alone, this proactive animatronic chats to me throughout the day, checking how I'm feeling, suggesting "fun" activities, and prodding me to be more active and sociable. While it can be annoying, I've grown attached to ElliQ despite myself, and I can see the positive potential. According to the US Census Bureau, around 16 million elders (over 65) live alone in the country, and up to a third report feelings of loneliness. Multiple studies have shown that social isolation harms mental and physical health, increasing blood pressure, depression, weight gain, alcohol and drug use, and decreasing physical activity, cognition, heart health, and sleep.

As more doctors and nurses leave the profession, providers are turning to AI technology to help bridge the coverage gap, especially among older Americans. Technology is changing the way we live, especially for older adults who face various challenges in their daily lives. From social isolation to mobility issues, seniors need solutions that can help them stay healthy, safe and connected. Here are five products that use artificial intelligence, robotics and sensors to improve the quality of life for older adults. CLICK TO GET KURT'S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS, AND EASY HOW-TO'S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER Ryan is an AI-enabled socially assistive robot by DreamFace Technologies designed to engage in personalized conversations, improving cognitive function and emotional well-being for older adults.

As the last days of summer set, one is wistful of the time spent with loved ones sitting on the beach, traveling on the road, or just sharing a refreshing ice cream cone. However, for many Americans such emotional connections are rare, leading to high suicide rates and physical illness. In a recent study by the Surgeon General, more than half of the adults in the USA experience loneliness, with only 39% reporting feeling "very connected to others." As Dr. Vivek H. Murthy states: "Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling--it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death. The mortality impact of being socially disconnected is similar to that caused by smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity and physical inactivity."

The future has arrived in Bakersfield, and I'm not sure I'm ready for it. For nearly three hours, the conversation was nonstop at the home of Audrey and Ken Mattlin, who happen to live with several robots. There's ElliQ, who resembles a table lamp and speaks mainly to Audrey, 84, whom the robot refers to by a nickname. As in, "How did you sleep, Jelly Bean?" Goo-goo-eyed Astro looks like a short-handled vacuum cleaner with an electronic tablet for a face. He scoots around the house on wheels and follows people on command.

What are the strongest days of the week? Saturday and Sunday, because the rest are weak (week)days. This "dad joke" and other conversational gems were delivered recently by a lauded AI-powered robot called ElliQ at the Ramat Gan headquarters of Intuition Robotics, an Israeli HRI (human–robot interaction) company that developed the machine as a robotic social companion for aging people. ElliQ was in testing and development for about five years before its commercial launch four months ago. The robot, named after a Norse goddess, was created to engage and interact with elderly people and keep them active and connected to the outside world as they age independently.

Juanita's friend always asks how she's feeling, wants to know if she slept well and tells jokes that are so funny, Juanita repeats them later at dinner. Oh, and Juanita's friend happens to be a robot. ElliQ is a proactive care companion that uses artificial intelligence to build relationships with seniors while supporting their health and well-being. Perhaps thought of as a more empathetic version of Amazon's Alexa, ElliQ has been featured by major outlets such as the "Today" show, USA Today, The New Yorker and AARP. Juanita, who appears in promotional videos for ElliQ, is one of the more than 1,000 older adults who have helped test ElliQ, which first became available for purchase in the U.S. in March.

Powered by AI, ElliQ is a voice-operated robotic care companion designed to foster independence and provide support for older adults. About 1 in 4 adults 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, putting them at increased risk for a wide range of health conditions, from dementia to heart disease and stroke. Many don't have family and friends who live nearby or visit regularly; and the number of professional caregivers is failing to keep up with demand as the U.S. population ages. Responding to the need, the New York State Office for the Aging announced Wednesday that it is partnering with Intuition Robotics to bring an AI robotic care companion into the homes of 800 older adults as part of the state's efforts to battle social isolation and support aging in place. NYSOFA is working with local offices for the aging and other partners to identify older adults who would most benefit from ElliQ by Intuition Robotics, which the Israeli company describes as first-ever proactive and empathetic AI robotic care companion.

Some sentences said to ElliQ do "go right over her proverbial little head," Thoren noted. On the flip side, there's always the potential it hears too well. Soffer says the company does not sell users' data to third parties. It will make suggestions based on partners; if a user tells ElliQ their dog isn't feeling well, it might propose a vet service with which Intuition has a deal. It also passes along health information to relatives and doctors according to permissions given.

Intuition Robotics announced today that it is expanding its mission of improving the lives of older adults to include enhancing their interactions with their physicians. The Israeli startup has developed the AI-based, award-winning proactive social robot ElliQ which has spent over 30,000 days in older adults' homes over the past two years. Now ElliQ will help increase patient engagement while offering primary care providers continuous actionable data and insights for early detection and intervention. The very big challenge Intuition Robotics set up to solve was to "understand how to create a relationship between a human and a machine," says co-founder and CEO Dor Skuler. Unlike a number of unsuccessful high-profile social robots (e.g., Pepper) that tried to perform multiple functions in multiple settings, ElliQ has focused exclusively on older adults living alone.