My daughter recently shared a New York Times podcast she had found interesting.
It was about a talking robot built to help older people who live alone, people who - throughout the day - often have no one around to talk to.
Apparently this demographic is at increased risk of dementia.
The robot resembles the "Alexa" app many use to retrieve information in response to a question. ("Alexa, what's the weather forecast for today?...")
But this robot (named "Elli-Q") also initiates conversation by asking questions, telling jokes or offering to play games... 8 times a day.
The 80-something- year old woman interviewed in the podcast said that - on her annual cognitive test, administered by her doctor - her score went up after she began playing memory games with the robot.
However, when the woman's children visited, they felt uncomfortable discussing confidential financial matters in front of the robot. They wanted to either unplug the device or talk outdoors - since the device was constantly picking up information, so as to better adapt itself to the woman's interests. They wanted to know where the information being gathered about their mother was being stored and how it was being used. Who else could potentially have access to this information?
These are all legitimate privacy concerns.
The interview in the podcast was so informative. I had no idea how important it is to talk to others every day or that our mental health depends on it. I also didn't realize that playing memory games can actually enhance our memory.
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