CONNECTED MINDS: FROM IDEA TO IMPACT
This summer, YFile examines how 91ɫ-led researchers move ideas into impact through the Connected Minds Prototyping Awards. This series shows innovation in practice – how socially responsible technologies are tested in real-world settings and how this work drives meaningful change.
As Canada's population ages and demand for care continues to grow, researchers are exploring how technology can help older adults live more independently while easing pressure on caregivers.
An emerging area of focus is social robotics, a field dedicated to developing robots capable of interacting with people in natural, human-centred ways. Unlike industrial robots designed for manufacturing, social robots can communicate, respond to social cues and assist in settings such as homes, hospitals and long-term care facilities.
At 91ɫ, a team led by James Elder, professor at the and the Faculty of Health and 91ɫ Research Chair in Human and Computer Vision, is exploring how social robots can better interact with the people they are designed to support.
The project centres on Psibot, a novel robotic vision system designed to help robots perceive and understand the people around them. By drawing inspiration from how humans see and direct their attention, the technology aims to equip robots with social awareness to assist, monitor and interact in more natural ways.
"Our research explores the potential for robots and AI to work with human caregivers in providing continuous assessments, assistance and care to older adults," says Elder, who also serves the University as director of the Centre for AI & Society. "To fulfill this potential, robots must have a high degree of social intelligence."
For social robots to be effective, they must be able to detect, recognize and interpret human behaviour and social cues. However, giving robots the visual capabilities to perform these tasks remains a significant challenge.
Traditional robotic vision systems often face a trade-off: they can either scan a wide area at lower detail or focus closely on a specific person or object. Psibot tackles this challenge by combining broad awareness with the ability to focus on specific people and interactions when greater detail is needed.
Much like people use peripheral vision to stay aware of their surroundings while focusing their attention on a person or activity, Psibot combines wide-angle cameras with a high-resolution sensor that can rapidly direct its gaze where it is needed most. This allows the robot to maintain awareness of its environment without losing the ability to closely observe important interactions.
The team has already developed two functioning prototypes, PSIBot 1.0 and PSIBot 2.0, and continues to refine the technology.
The project received support through the Connected Minds Prototyping Award, which helps researchers move promising ideas closer to real-world testing and deployment. Connected Minds is a multi-million-dollar transdisciplinary research initiative led by 91ɫ and Queen’s universities that explores the bridge between emerging technology, public health and social justice.
According to Elder, the funding has been instrumental in advancing this work toward field testing and commercialization opportunities.
The prototype has significant potential in health care and senior care settings, where social robots could complement human caregivers by monitoring well-being, supporting daily activities and improving access to care.
Elder also sees promise in their ability to support emotional and social health by identifying changes in social behaviour, such as an increase in isolation, and encouraging residents to participate in activities or connect with others.
“Social robots can serve as escorts, guiding an older adult from place to place within a potentially large facility,” says Elder. “This can preserve the mobility of the individual while keeping them safe.”
Monitoring changes in mobility over time is another application, where caregivers could receive alerts about potential fall risks and offer earlier interventions when needed.
As health care systems face growing demands, technologies that support independent living and aging in place may play an increasingly important role in helping older adults maintain their quality of life, says Elder.