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Robot 'Abi' Befriends Lonely Seniors
27 Apr
Summary
- A four-foot robot named Abi assists residents in aged care.
- Abi speaks 90 languages and remembers residents' personal details.
- Company Andromeda Robotics, founded by Grace Brown, is valued at $100 million.
A groundbreaking robot named Abi is transforming aged care in Ballarat, working alongside staff in a Mecwacare residential home. Standing four feet tall, Abi is brightly colored, speaks up to 90 languages, and can recall specific details like the songs residents grew up with. This innovative machine was first built by Grace Brown, a 26-year-old mechatronics engineer, during a Melbourne lockdown out of a desire to combat loneliness.
Five years after its inception, Abi has become the cornerstone of Andromeda Robotics, a company Brown now leads as CEO. Headquartered in Melbourne with offices in San Francisco, Andromeda Robotics is valued at approximately $100 million. Brown notes that the greatest challenge is not the engineering or fundraising, but establishing ethical guidelines for robot interaction with individuals experiencing loneliness, grief, confusion, or end-of-life situations.
