As more people are living longer than before it is only natural that this will have knock on effects, such as increasing pressure on our health services. Statistics from the national office suggest that in 2015 there were over half a million people in the UK aged over 90.

Researchers from Middlesex University and the University of Bedfordshire have teamed up together to help in building personal robots, known as Pepper Robots. These robots are designed to offer support with everyday tasks and offering companionship and can further be pre-programmed to suit individual needs to those they are designed for. Researchers developing the robots believe they will help relieve hospital and care home pressures and further promote independent living for the elderly.

Pepper Robots are not a new concept though, they have already been used in thousands of homes in Japan, Amit Humar Pandey, chief scientist at Pepper Robots has said “the firm wanted to create a world where robots coexist with humans in harmony, for a smarter, healthier, safer and happier life.” Although it may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie this could soon become the future as plans funded by the EU and Japanese government could see Pepper Robots being developed within three years.

Picture is for illustrative purposes only.