Intuition Robotics launched its senior assistive social robot ElliQ in 2022, and even though it already has some impressive capabilities, including games, workout plans, interactive conversations, and AI, the robot is about to get even smarter. 

Also:Can AI curb loneliness in older adults? This robot companion is proving it's possible

On Tuesday at CES, Intuition Robotics unveiled ElliQ 3.0, the latest generation of its robot, which boasts hardware and software upgrades, including a deeper integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) for an even better experience. 

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The most evident change is ElliQ's new look. The robot's hardware has been tweaked and designed to meet growing demand and increased manufacturing processes. The robot is now 1.3 pounds lighter and has a 36% smaller footprint. 

In addition, instead of having a removable tablet that doubles as a screen, the screen is now fully integrated into the device, as seen in the picture below. 

These hardware changes also improve how seniors interact with ElliQ, making the robot simpler and easier to handle. Some internal changes include an octa-core SoC, a built-in AI processing unit (APU), and 33% more RAM. 

ElliQ's conversational capabilities have also been improved through deeper integration of generative AI, via its Relationship Orchestration Engine, which "makes real-time decisions regarding actions, scripted conversation, and generative AI conversation," according to the release.

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The implementation of generative AI will also support the robot's memory feature, which takes information the user shares with the device, such as their favorite color, their pet name, or their religion, and remembers this knowledge so it can be used to fuel conversations and choose activities based on the person's interests. 

"It's astounding to see that the first people to live with and build long-term relationships with an AI are individuals in their 80's and 90's," said Dor Skuler, co-founder and CEO of Intuition Robotics. "Through this relationship, ElliQ is proving to be highly effective in reducing older adults' sense of loneliness, improving health and independence, and increasing social connectedness." 

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To address safety concerns regarding the implementation of generative AI, which has proven to be vulnerable to shortcomings such as hallucinations, the company has implemented guardrail mechanisms to monitor and mediate conversations in real-time.

When I tested the earlier model of ElliQ, one of my favorite features was the interactive games. Now, ElliQ 3 will take the gaming experience up a notch by implementing synchronized games, starting with Bingo, which will allow users to participate in real-time games with other adults. 

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