The assistant robot Lio has been supporting the residents and employees of the Rossfeld Foundation – a competence center for people with physical disabilities since May 25, 2020.
The main goal of Lio is to support residents and students with regard to their limitations. Lio is not a substitute for people, but an addition to the variety of support aids for independence. This means that users have the option of directing Lio to do a wide variety of tasks for them by steering him with remote control. This will give them back a certain amount of autonomy. The other functions of the robot allow it to be informative, as well as funny and entertaining for the residents and students of the facility.
Lio should make people with disabilities have fun. Stand by their side and bring them closer to the digital world.
Functions of Lio
The functions of Lio can be activated and deactivated as required.
More about Lio
Lio’s Areas of Application Are Always Growing
The creativity that people with physical disabilities necessarily learn and apply in order to cope with their everyday lives are, in the context of this project, transferred to Lio by the remote control. This creativity leads to newly discovered possibilities and areas of application in which Lio can assist. For example, the great benefit of Lio carrying a scratching tool has become apparent. This leads to users having the possibility to relieve themselves when otherwise a nurse would have to be called.
The planned expansion of Lio’s area of work in the Rossfeld school will certainly allow us to find more such functions. Furthermore, the robot will allow the students to learn a language in a playful way and to reduce excess energy through joint movement exercises.
About the Stiftung Rossfeld – Competence Center for People with Physical Disabilities
The Rossfeld Education and Dormitory Foundation, Bern, was established in 1960. It offers education, vocational training, living, working, and therapy in five departments. Including around 450 people with physical disabilities from four years to retirement age. The project with Lio was created as part of the Digital Competence Center, which was set up by the Rossfeld Foundation. This allows the Rossfeld Center, its residents, and students to take a further step towards the digital future.