Can robots combat loneliness? This innovator has the antidote to isolation
Karen Dolva works with the most common experience: loneliness, and she’s working to make sure no child misses out on the experience of a peer-filled school.
Loneliness is a universal experience – and it’s hurting us both mentally and physically. Scientific studies show that people who are lonely are at higher risk of heart disease or having a stroke. Those most vulnerable to the dangerous effects of loneliness include children with long-term illnesses and the elderly. “If everyone feels loneliness, then why aren’t we doing anything about it?” asks Karen Dolva. Spurred on by her own question, she’s put her technological expertise to the task.
Dolva is the founder of No Isolation, a Norwegian start-up developing groundbreaking tech to strengthen connections between people. Kids fighting chronic illnesses suffer from isolation because they can’t go to school. But Dolva’s innovation, AV1, builds a bridge between a sick child at home and their classroom. The robot sits on the pupil’s desk at school, while the housebound kid operates the device from an iPad. Equipped with a camera and microphone, it allows the student to participate in lessons and keep up with friends. The robot even includes a function to virtually raise a hand to answer a question, ensuring a distant student’s continued ability to learn and engage.
But not everyone has grown up with touch screens and gadgets. Senior citizens aren’t digital natives, and getting older often means being left behind in a cloud of confusing updates and changing gizmos. Many elderly people live alone and have limited mobility, making it difficult to stay in touch with loved ones. To combat this double-edged problem, Dolva and her team developed a simple one-button computer called KOMP. This makes it easy for older generations to have calls and share pictures and messages. Using this computer requires no prior skills, making certain that family members are always just a click away.
Questions whirl about whether technology helps or hinders human connection. Dolva believes that the answer lies in the compassion of developers. “I think it’s high time that technology is developed for those who actually need it, solving real problems rather than creating more,” she says. It’s possible to be on the cutting edge while improving the lives of vulnerable people. Approaching innovation with empathy, Dolva brings us one step closer to one another.
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