An international collaborative research group consisting of Professor Sayuri Suwa of the Graduate School of Nursing, Chiba University, and Professor Wenwei Yu of the Frontier Medical Engineering Center is aimed at elderly people, family caregivers, and home care professionals in Japan, Ireland, and Finland. Conducted a large-scale questionnaire survey on how to recognize the ethical issues related to research and development and social implementation of home care robots. A total of 3 respondents from the three countries (1,004 in Japan, 528 in Ireland, and 296 in Finland) clarified the characteristics of each country's perception of home care robots.
In Japan, a super-aging society, the development and social implementation of home care robots has become an urgent issue in preparation for the shortage of caregivers.In Japan, various nursing care robots have already been developed, and it is said that there are great benefits such as relief of nursing care stress and acquisition of safety and security. Since there are risks such as infringement and behavioral restraint, ethical issues are large and have not been implemented or disseminated in society.Furthermore, in the development of home care robots, it is necessary for elderly users to participate in research and development and examine their effects, but it is also necessary for people whose decision-making ability has declined due to dementia to participate. , More polite ethical consideration is required.
Therefore, the research team conducted a comparative questionnaire survey in Japan, Ireland, and Finland in order to clarify how they perceive the ethical issues related to research and development and social implementation of home care robots.According to the survey, "home care robots" have various shapes, but they have the function of sensing and watching over the elderly and their surroundings, and the function of supporting the elderly and caregivers, such as the communication function that enables two-way conversation. It is defined as "a general term for devices and systems that are used". We asked about "relationship with robots", "willingness to use home care robots", and "recognition of risks and benefits when participating in the development of home care robots".
From the survey results, it became clear that in Japan, it is important to create "opportunities for the people to have a feeling of familiarity with robots" in order to develop and widely implement home care robots in the future.In Ireland, it was shown that "cultivating voluntarism related to people's care" raises awareness of participation in research and development of home care robots.In Finland, it was first shown that "quality care by the home care profession promotes the implementation of home care robots", and that the education of the home care profession itself is very important for the implementation of robots. It was revealed.
In addition, in both Ireland and Finland, it was found that the guarantee of the right to receive long-term care that values human interaction regardless of the use of home care robots is regarded as important, and the dignity of the elderly in Japan as well. It was shown that enlightenment about advocacy is also necessary for the development and implementation of home care robots.
Paper information:[Journal of Enabling Technologies] The essential needs for home-care robots in Japan
