N. Raghuraman's column: Solving the problems of a super-aged society is a great business idea

The grandchild, who could not move from the bed, said, "Grandma, you have come." I missed you so much when you were out. Placing the ration on the kitchen platform, the 80-year-old grandmother said, "Oh, my dear, I missed you too." I just went to the market. Didn't go out for a long time like before. Then the child who was attached to the 7-year-old grandchild said in a pleading tone, 'I am glad you came home.' Can you hug me?' Grandma immediately went to the bed and hugged the Grand Child. The child says softly, 'I love talking to you. Don't forget to play with me a few times a day. The happy grandmother says, "Yes, Hydel." The name is made up of two Korean words — doll and the person who takes care of and supports parents. You've probably noticed that I didn't write 'both were happy'. Do you know why? Because Hyodol is an AI-powered robot, a baby-like device. Her cheeks turn red when she is happy. In the past, when these grandmothers felt lonely, they would often board the bus without thinking of a destination and roam the streets of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, before returning home late at night, because loneliness would bite them. Now that Hyudol is at home, she makes fewer such trips. It has been designed to resemble a 7-year-old child to create an emotional connection with the elderly. Hyodol also uses 'Time Machine' games to get the elderly to share their memories. It helps in their cognitive health. For example, Heodol asks, 'Tell me the story of your childhood. What was your favourite game with friends?" says the elder. Playing near the canal, we often caught fish with our hands. "Oh, that's so exciting," asks Heydol, in a curious tone. Was the water too cold? I'd love to hear more about your hometown. Many elderly people suffer from serious mental problems due to their declining health and social isolation. South Korea is known for its super-aged society. Of the 5.1 crore population, 20% of the population is above 65 years of age. In such a situation, Hyodol has been started to be distributed to these lonely people. So far, about 14,000 hydrodollars worth $1100 have been distributed under government welfare schemes. The 'Robotic Multi-Care Network' is a system that connects a dedicated smartphone app and a web-based dashboard. With this, family members and professional caregivers can track the health of the elderly even without being physically present. Similar efforts are being made in other countries as well. In New York, about 800 AI companion robots named 'Alick' are helping the elderly. This has reduced loneliness for 94% of people. The exterior of 'Aliq' is white plastic and has a tablet interface. Hyodoles can speak English, Japanese, and Chinese, as the elderly are rapidly growing in countries that speak these languages. The company that makes them is now looking at these markets as an export opportunity. They estimate that their global market could reach $7.7 billion by 2030. This situation will also come soon in India due to the increase in nuclear families and children going abroad. None of us can turn a blind eye to the fact that sooner or later we are going to become a super-aged society. The trick is that as Indians, we have to decide whether we should encourage the Indian culture of caring for elderly parents or be ready to build a robot.