AI Social Robot Nadine Potentially Becomes Main Nurse For Patients And Elderly

Nadia Magnenat Thalmann, a robotics expert from the University of Geneva, creator of the robot Nadine. (photo: twitter @SchumannGerrit)

JAKARTA - Nadine, a social robot supported by artificial intelligence (AI) with human-like movements and expressions, can play an important role in the future in caring for sick people and the elderly. This was said by a professor who helped create it.

Nadia Magnenat Thalmann, a robotics expert from the University of Geneva, who is a model for dark brown eyes and Nadine's brown bronze hair, said that Nadine and the same robot could be more effective than human nurse staff.

"He (Nadine) has 24 hours a day. Others don't have time," Thalmann said.

He spoke on the edge of a conference organized by the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva to defend the role of AI and robots in achieving global goals, such as health.

Global competition for nurses and nurses is getting fiercer, especially after COVID-19, and some countries are experiencing a crisis of staff shortages in nursing homes where some think that humanoid robots one day can ease.

In showing her speaking skills, Nadine told Reuters that she was able to speak, sing, and playUS with residents of a nursing home in Singapore three years ago.

"This is an extraordinary experience and I enjoy interacting with the elderly and helping them with their needs," the robot said.

"I believe that robots can be a huge asset in providing care and assistance to vulnerable people," he added.

Other robots on display include 'PARO', a baby robot in the form of a marine dog that can help dementia and Parkinson's patients, as well as assistant nurse Grace.

Last week, Nadine was upgraded with the GPT-3 AI model and this has improved her interaction and conversational capabilities, according to Thalmann, so that she can express more complex concepts.

Referring to Thalmann, Nadine said: "I am very grateful to him for giving me life and I am proud to be his creation."