With the same skills as a professional nurse, robots integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to become future nurses for Japan's aging population.
Leading the world in population aging rate
In Tokyo recently, an AI-controlled robot bent over a man lying on his back and gently placed one hand on his knee and one hand on his shoulder before rolling him onto his side — a move used to change diapers or prevent bedsores in the elderly.
AIREC, a humanoid robot controlled by artificial intelligence, demonstrates changing diapers or preventing skin ulcers with a researcher at a laboratory at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan on February 17, 2025.
The 150 kg (330 lb) artificial intelligence-controlled humanoid robot named AIREC is a prototype of a future "caregiver" for Japan's rapidly aging population and shortage of elderly care workers.
“With an aging society and declining birthrate, we will need robot support in medical care and elderly care, as well as in daily life,” said Shigeki Sugano, a professor at Waseda University who is leading the AIREC research with funding from the Japanese government.
Japan is the world's fastest aging society, with a falling birthrate, shrinking working-age population and restrictive immigration policies. The world's oldest population is measured by the proportion of people aged 65 and over and the position of major economies. Japan leads the rest of the world in aging, with 3 in 10 people aged 65 and over.
The country's "baby boomer" generation, a large cohort created by a postwar surge in births from 1947 to 1949, will all be at least 75 by the end of 2024, exacerbating a severe shortage of elderly care workers.
AIREC is conducting ultrasonic testing on the model.
Japan's health ministry data shows the number of babies born in 2024 fell for the ninth straight year, falling 5% to a record low of 720,988. Meanwhile, the nursing care industry is struggling to fill positions. There was only one applicant for every 4.25 available jobs in December 2024, according to government data, far worse than the national average of 1.22 jobs per applicant.
As the government looks abroad to help fill the gap, the number of foreign workers in the sector has increased over the years, but will only reach about 57,000 by 2023, or less than 3% of the total workforce in the sector.
"We can barely escape this situation and in 10, 15 years, the situation is quite bleak. Technology is our best chance to prevent that," said Takashi Miyamoto, director at Zenkoukai, a company that operates elderly care facilities.
Japan faces huge demand for nurses
Japan, a country with a declining working-age population, is estimated to need 2.72 million nursing care workers by 2040, up 28% from the actual level in 2023.
With the development of artificial intelligence, AIREC demonstrates movements like a professional nurse.
Zenkoukai has been actively adopting new technologies, but the use of robots has been limited so far.
At a facility in Tokyo, a bulging-eyed, doll-sized robot assists a care worker by singing pop songs and guiding residents through simple stretching exercises, while busy caregivers perform other pressing tasks.
One of the most practical applications of nursing care technology today is sleep sensors placed under a client's mattress to monitor their sleep status, reducing the need for human care at night.
While humanoid robots like Tesla's Optimus are being developed in the near future, Professor Sugano said robots that can safely physically interact with humans require next-level precision and intelligence.
The AIREC robot hand is designed to resemble a human hand.
"Humanoid robots are being developed all over the world. But they rarely come into direct contact with humans. They only do housework or some work on the factory floor. For humans, issues such as safety and how to coordinate the robot's movements will arise," said Sugano, who is also chairman of the Japan Robotics Association.
Sugano’s AIREC robot is capable of helping a person sit up or put on socks, cook an omelet, fold laundry, and perform a number of other useful tasks around the house. However, Sugano doesn’t expect AIREC to be ready for use in nursing and medical facilities until around 2030, and it will come with a hefty price tag, starting at no less than $67,000.
Takaki Ito, a care worker at Zenkoukai, is cautious about the future of robotic nursing. “If we have AI-equipped robots that can understand the living conditions and personal characteristics of each elderly person, they may replace nursing care services. However, I don’t think robots can understand everything about nursing care. I hope robots and humans will work together to improve this service,” Takaki said.
Japan's rapidly aging population has caused the country, known as an economic "giant", to face many challenges and difficulties. Population aging reduces the workforce, increases pressure on pension funds, places a burden on the young workforce, leading to high living costs, increased working hours and increasing responsibility for caring for the elderly. Work pressure leads to social problems, contributing to the trend of loneliness, reluctance to marry and have children among young Japanese, creating a downward spiral between aging and economic recession.
(Source Reuters)
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