TOKYO: A humanoid AI-powered nurse, designed to assist elderly patients with essential care, has captured global attention following a viral demonstration at Waseda University in Tokyo.
The robot, named AIREC, showcased its ability to help patients change positions, put on clothing, and perform other caregiving tasks. The AI nurse is expected to address Japan’s ageing population crisis through technological innovation.
Weighing 150 kilograms and priced at approximately £50,000, AIREC is a prototype developed with government funding to tackle the country’s severe shortage of elder-care workers.
Professor Shigeki Sugano, head of AIREC’s research team at Waseda University and President of the Robotics Society of Japan, emphasised the importance of robotics in Japan’s future.
“Given our highly advanced ageing society and declining birth rates, we will need robots’ support for medical and elderly care, as well as in our daily lives,” Sugano said.
Japan’s growing elder-care crisis
Japan faces an acute demographic challenge, with its post-war baby boomer generation, born between 1947 and 1949, all turning at least 75 by the end of 2024.
Government data shows that the number of births fell for the ninth consecutive year in 2024, dropping 5% to a record low of 720,988.
Meanwhile, the nursing sector struggles to fill vacancies, with only one applicant available for every 4.25 caregiving jobs in December—significantly worse than the national jobs-to-applicants ratio of 1.22.
Despite efforts to recruit foreign workers, the number of overseas employees in Japan’s caregiving sector remains low, with only 57,000 foreign workers in 2023—less than 3% of the industry’s workforce.
Takashi Miyamoto, a director at Zenkoukai, an operator of elderly-care facilities, warned of the worsening labour shortage.
“We are barely keeping our heads above water, and in 10 to 15 years, the situation will be quite bleak. Technology is our best chance to avert that,” he said.
Rise of AI caregivers
AIREC’s development is part of a broader trend in robotics aimed at supporting healthcare and home assistance.
Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) predict that humanoid robots will soon be able to perform household chores such as cleaning, tidying, and even preparing meals.
MIT Professor Pulkit Agrawal noted that homes are structured around human needs, making humanoid robots a logical solution for automation.
“A breakthrough in AI will allow robots to learn tasks like checking locked doors, fetching newspapers, and even chopping vegetables,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chinese robotics company Robot Era has also made headlines with the introduction of Star1, the world’s fastest bipedal robot, capable of running at speeds of up to 12.98 km/h.
Viral videos of Star1 running across the Gobi Desert have captivated social media users.
Challenges in AI-driven nursing care
Despite the excitement surrounding AIREC, experts acknowledge that humanoid nursing robots must overcome significant challenges before becoming widespread.
Sugano pointed out that while robots are already used for household tasks and factory work, direct physical interaction with humans requires “next-level precision and intelligence.”
Zenkoukai’s facilities currently employ robotic assistants for basic tasks, such as a small singing robot that leads stretching exercises for elderly residents.
More advanced technology, such as sleep sensors placed under mattresses to monitor patients’ conditions, is also in use.
However, experts say it will be years before robots like AIREC can be fully integrated into caregiving. Sugano estimates that the AI nurse could be ready for medical and elderly care facilities by 2030, with an initial price tag of at least ¥10 million (£53,000).
Takaki Ito, a care worker at Zenkoukai, expressed cautious optimism about the future of robotic nursing.
“If we have AI-equipped robots that can grasp each care receiver’s living conditions and personal traits, there may be a future for them to directly provide nursing care,” he said.
“But I don’t think robots can understand everything about caregiving. A future where robots and humans work together to improve elderly care is what I am hoping for.”
