ElliQ is a smart device created by Intuition Robotics. The device promises to keep older adults active using the latest technology. Here’s our ElliQ review.
What is Intuition Robotics ElliQ?
Intuition Robotics calls ElliQ “the active aging companion”. The smart device is marketed towards older adults – especially older adults who live alone.
The Intuition Robotics official website reports that 50% of women aged 75 and over live alone. At the same time, 90% of adults would prefer to age in their own home instead of someone else’s home, or a nursing home.
With those stats in mind, Intuition Robotics ELLIQ promises to simplify how older adults connect with the world. Today, many older adults get confused by modern technology. Using ElliQ, these people can connect with family, friends, and the world more easily while utilizing the latest modern technologies.
Intuition Robotics is currently accepting waitlist applicants through its official website. The product has not yet been released, and we’re probably a few years away from a general public release.
Intuition Robotics did, however, just receive $6 million in funding to bring ElliQ to market.
Think of Intuition Robotics ELLIQ like a more advanced version of Alexa and other smart home systems. Instead of just listening to your voice commands, however, ElliQ promises to provide a more interactive experience. It may recommend that the user go on a walk, for example, or check up on the user’s health periodically.
How Does Intuition Robotics ELLIQ Work?
ElliQ has not yet been released, so we don’t have full details about how it works or what it will do. Most of the things we know about ElliQ so far are from the company’s early commercial, which features a lady sitting on her couch in her home while ElliQ sits on the desk nearby.
ElliQ comes to life and says, “Mary, Megan sent a new photo. Would you like to look at it?”
While ElliQ issues a voice alert, the device – which looks like a futuristic lamp shade blended with a Mac – swivels around on its base.
Mary leans in to look at the photo, and ElliQ displays the photo on an attached screen beside the lamp-looking device. That display is a tablet that can be picked up, removed, and used like an ordinary tablet.
ElliQ then asks Mary if she would like to respond to Megan’s post. Then, it counts down and says, “Recording in 3, 2, 1”.
Ultimately, ElliQ promises to help you – or a loved one – get things done and keep you engaged. Other things ElliQ will be able to do include:
- Reminds you to take medication
- Arranges rides and transportation
- Reminds you of appointments
- Share information with loved ones (at your specific request)
- Lets you Skype with friends and family over the display and an attached webcam
- Can suggest personalized activities and digital content
As an example of activity recommendations, the ElliQ commercial shows the device asking Mary if she would like to watch a new TED Talk that was just recently posted. Or, if she doesn’t want to do that, then ElliQ recommends going for a walk.
When the device isn’t actively in use, it automatically displays pictures – like a smart photo frame.
ElliQ is designed to be highly interactive. Instead of just responding to voice commands, ElliQ will be designed with the goal of facilitating conversation. ElliQ might check on a user’s wellness, for example.
Another key goal is to make ElliQ as emotive as possible:
“She’s extremely emotive,” Intuition Robotics CEO Dor Skuler told TechCrunch in an interview. “She has different gestures that can show happiness or signal confusion if she doesn’t understand you.”
In other words, ElliQ wants to be more than just a detached voice in your home – like Siri or Alexa, both of which respond to voice commands. As opposed to these platforms, ElliQ will use cognitive computing to proactively monitor a user’s wellness and keep them active – so ElliQ can recommend things for you to do – not always the other way around.
Who is Intuition Robotics?
Intuition Robotics, the creators of ElliQ, describe themselves as “a multidisciplinary team of gerontologists, roboticists, full stack developers, industrial designers, Android developers, computer vision and machine learning experts” who have “a passion for developing technology to positively impact the lives of older adults.”
The Israel-based company was founded in 2016. Some people have labeled Intuition Robotics as a “social robotics” company. You can learn more about Intuition Robotics Ltd. at their About page here. You can also contact the company by email at [email protected].
Intuition Robotics has been making headlines this past week after it raised $6 million in funding from iRobot and equity crowdfunding platform OurCrowd.
Today, Intuition Robotics is headquartered in Jerusalem, although TechCrunch reports they plan on opening an office in the Bay Area of San Francisco in the near future. After opening that office, they will begin testing ElliQ with senior citizens around San Francisco.
Intuition Robotics ELLIQ Pricing and Release Date
So far, ElliQ is in the early stages of development. In the commercial linked above, the device isn’t even seen in the prototype phase: it appears to be a computer-generated object in that commercial.
All we know about ElliQ’s release date and pricing is that you can sign up to stay informed through the official website here. You can enter your email into that form to be added to the ElliQ waiting list.
Ultimately, Intuition Robotics ElliQ is currently in the prototype phase. However, the ambitious project could change the way human beings age around the world. We’ll keep you posted as more information about this exciting smart product becomes available over the coming months.
