by Conor Purcell

Two challenges of healthy ageing ? loneliness and isolation ? and the numbers of people living with dementia prompted a Galway team of researchers to look at addressing the challenges using robots. The team at the school of nursing and midwifery, National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), led by Prof Dympna Casey, is leading a European project called Mario, which is looking at how carer service robots can advance active and healthy ageing.The researchers are developing a companion robot which can read you a book, play music or remind you to take medication among other tasks.