A technology-led health and care facility in South Lanarkshire is helping with the early development of next-generation assistive robotics.

Blantyre LIFE, a care development facility which opened last year, is pioneering increasingly sophisticated care and expertise, and is equipped with state-of-the-art telecare systems to support independent living.

Now, in a taste of things to come, the facility has welcomed the arrival of ARI—a social robot aiming to help people rehabilitate and recover after significant injury.

Two weeks of research, supported by the National Robotarium—the centre for robotics and AI at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus—has been undertaken to gather feedback from Blantyre LIFE’s health and social care staff.

The feedback will help with the development of the assistive robot, which is being carried out by a research team from the National Robotarium.

Professor Lynne Baillie, who’s head of human-robot interaction at the robotics and AI centre, said: “We’re developing the ARI robot to support the self-management of rehabilitation by patients.

“The robot will offer verbal instruction and encouragement during exercise sessions as well as using its human-like limbs to physically demonstrate how to do exercises properly.

“We believe that this engagement can help empower patients to stick with their exercise regime and improve their overall wellbeing.”

Whilst patients aren’t yet involved in the research, Carl Bettosi, a PhD student in human-robot interaction at the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics, has been working closely with health and social care professionals at Blantyre LIFE to gather data which will inform future versions.

“A key focus of our research is the ability of the robot to make some decisions autonomously and thus reduce the burden on healthcare staff,” explained Bettosi, who’s supervised by Professor Baillie.

“To do this, we will develop cutting-edge decision-making techniques driven by machine learning.

“It’s amazing to come to a place like Blantyre LIFE and see how technology is being embraced and used alongside hard-earned human expertise and compassion.”

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Blantyre LIFE, which includes 45 new affordable homes and flats, and 20 technology-enabled flats and bungalows, was developed by South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP).

The facility was created in collaboration with the South Lanarkshire Council’s Housing and Technical Resources and Glasgow Science Centre.

Professor Soumen Sengupta, who’s chief officer of South Lanarkshire University HSCP, remarked: “The foundation of our partnership is made up of the human compassion of the expertise of our staff.

“The presence of ARI represents our commitment to both amplifying – not replacing – that expertise with latest technology and working with academic partners in a highly innovative space.

“It also characterises our dedication to helping shape emerging and existing opportunities that rapidly evolving technology could have for the future of health and care delivery.”