TOKYO: A humanoid AI-powered nurse designed to assist elderly patients has gained global attention after a viral demonstration at Waseda University in Tokyo.
Named AIREC, the robot showcased its ability to help patients with tasks like changing positions and dressing, offering a potential solution to Japan’s ageing population crisis.
Weighing 150kg and priced at around £50,000, AIREC is a government-funded prototype aimed at addressing the country’s severe shortage of elder-care workers.
Professor Shigeki Sugano, head of AIREC’s research team and President of the Robotics Society of Japan, highlighted the growing role of robotics in healthcare, citing Japan’s ageing society and declining birth rates.
By the end of 2024, all post-war baby boomers in Japan (born 1947–1949) will be at least 75 years old, intensifying the demand for caregiving. Meanwhile, government data shows births have declined for the ninth consecutive year, reaching a record low of 720,988 in 2024.
The nursing sector faces a severe worker shortage, with only one applicant for every 4.25 caregiving jobs as of December—far worse than the national jobs-to-applicants ratio of 1.22.
