Trending Now - Robots Step in to Support Aging Americans Amid Care Shortages
WHO:
Fast Company - Brenda Marquis, Brian Marquis, Momotaz Begum, Aaron Edsinger
ABC News - Brenda Marquis, Brian Marquis, Momotaz Begum, Aaron Edsinger
WHAT:
NVIDIA Newsroom - Foxconn's CoDoctor AI platform and Nurabot nursing collaborative robots have moved from pilot programs into clinical operations.
NVIDIA Newsroom - The "Healthy Taiwan" initiative is backed by a $1.5 billion regional investment.
NVIDIA Newsroom - Taiwan's medical centers are using AI to transform care for over 14 million patient encounters annually.
NVIDIA Newsroom - New agents within CoDoctor AI include ECG AI Agent, Corovia AI Agent, and Endovia AI Agent, each designed to enhance specific clinical workflows.
NVIDIA Newsroom - Foxconn's new Scrub Bot operates in live surgical suites, responding to surgeon voice commands.
NVIDIA Newsroom - Foxconn's Nurabot completed field validation last year at Taichung Veterans General Hospital and is now being gradually introduced into additional hospitals.
NVIDIA Newsroom - The simulation-first approach has cut deployment time by 40% and enabled 98% navigation accuracy for robots in hospital environments.
Fast Company - The robot helping the Marquis family is named Robbie, officially called Stretch 4.
ABC News - Robbie nudges Brian, who has dementia, to eat lunch or drink water.
ABC News - The Stretch 4 robot is sold for nearly $30,000 and launched in May.
ABC News - Robbie's programmed care protocol includes exercise instructions, meal and medicine reminders, evening routine reminders, and quick washup prompts.
WHERE:
Fast Company - The Marquis couple lives in Durham, New Hampshire.
ABC News - The robot is piloted by a University of New Hampshire laboratory.
WHEN:
Fast Company - The oldest baby boomers are turning 80 this year.
ABC News - Brian Marquis has been living with a traumatic brain injury since a 2012 car crash.
WHY:
NVIDIA Newsroom - Taiwan faces mounting pressure on its clinical workforce due to one of the world’s fastest-aging populations.
Fast Company - There is a deepening shortage of home care aides in the United States, driven by low wages, high turnover, and demanding workloads.
ABC News - Brenda Marquis stated they have been "trapped in a problem" of finding enough home care support.
HOW:
Fast Company - The robot uses cameras and onboard sensors to determine its location and who is in the room.
ABC News - The robot includes a telescoping gripper that can retrieve a water bottle and hold it out for a person to drink through a straw.
(UPDATED June 1, 2026 20:23 UTC)
Taiwan is making significant strides in healthcare technology as Foxconn's CoDoctor AI platform and Nurabot nursing robots transition from pilot programs to full clinical operations, addressing the needs of a rapidly aging population. The "Healthy Taiwan" initiative, supported by a $1.5 billion regional investment, aims to enhance care for over 14 million patient encounters each year, with new AI agents like the ECG AI Agent and Corovia AI Agent designed to improve specific clinical workflows. Additionally, Foxconn's innovative Scrub Bot, which operates in live surgical suites by responding to voice commands, and the successful field validation of Nurabot at Taichung Veterans General Hospital are set to revolutionize hospital environments, cutting deployment time by 40% and achieving 98% navigation accuracy.
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(UPDATED June 1, 2026 18:54 UTC)
A new robot named Robbie, officially called Stretch 4, is assisting the Marquis family in Durham, New Hampshire, by nudging Brian, who has dementia, to eat and drink. Launched in May and priced at nearly $30,000, Robbie is equipped with a care protocol that includes exercise instructions and reminders for meals and medicine. This innovative solution comes as the U.S. faces a growing shortage of home care aides, leaving families like the Marquis's struggling to find adequate support.