Next-gen robots step in to assist Korea's elderly and disabled

In Seoul on Wednesday, developers and health officials showcased next-generation care robots designed to help Korea’s elderly and disabled. The machines can handle steep thresholds, assist with bathing and monitor urinary health, as officials and researchers push them into homes and neighborhoods to ease caregiver shortages. The National Rehabilitation Center said care robots should solve real-world problems in the living environments of the elderly and disabled.

A compact indoor mobility robot from Daegu Catholic University Medical Center can cross 100-millimeter raised steps and support patients moving to and from the bathroom.

Daewon Inmul presented a convertible capsule-style shower chair that lets bedridden patients bathe safely with less physical effort from nurses.

Hijera Networks showed an automated excretion-processing device that can predict severe urinary disorders, while NT Robot displayed a portable feeding unit for people with limited mobility.

Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology presented a soft wearable garment powered by embedded artificial muscle fibers to assist movement, and Linux demonstrated an ultra-quiet bed system that automatically shifts patient posture to help prevent pressure sores.

Robocare and similar monitoring platforms are linking these machines to central digital networks so data can follow patients from hospital beds to home care.

Published Sep 16, 2026 12:25 pm KST

NT Robot, a domestic robotics company, demonstrates its portable, modular feeding assistant robot. The device is designed to help elderly and disabled individuals who have difficulty feeding themselves. Courtesy of NT Robot

In hospital rooms and private homes across Korea, a new generation of mechanical caregivers is quietly taking over the heavy lifting of health care.

These are not the humanoid automata of science fiction, but hyperspecialized robotic systems designed for the gritty, intimate realities of eldercare and disability support. At a public showcase Wednesday at the Kim Koo Museum & Library in Seoul, developers and health officials unveiled machines capable of navigating steep thresholds, assisting with bathing and even monitoring urinary health — a technological shift aimed at easing the burden on human caregivers in a rapidly aging society.

Among the innovations on display was a compact indoor mobility robot developed by Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, engineered to traverse indoor obstacles like 100-millimeter raised steps while offering postural support for patients moving to and from the bathroom. Nearby, a convertible capsule-style shower chair created by Daewon Inmul demonstrated how automation can preserve personal dignity, allowing bedridden patients to bathe safely without requiring intense physical exertion from nurses.

"Care cannot be viewed in isolation — separating medical treatment from welfare, or the hospital from the community," said Kim Dong-ah, president of the National Rehabilitation Center. "It must seamlessly follow a person's life. Care robots should not be developed for the sake of technology itself, but to solve real-world problems by understanding the specific living environments of the elderly and disabled."

As Korea faces a demographic crisis driven by plummeting birthrates and an expanding senior population, the demand for long-term care has outstripped the available workforce. In response, government agencies and private firms are pushing to move robotic assistance out of clinical settings and directly into residential neighborhoods.

The latest suite of tools addresses daily physiological needs that often exhaust human aides.

Hijera Networks demonstrated an automated excretion-processing device capable of predicting severe urinary disorders, while Neable showcased a sliding transfer system built for tight domestic spaces. For dining, NT Robot presented a portable feeding unit designed to help individuals with limited mobility eat independently.

Other developments target long-term physical strain for both patients and workers.

Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology presented a soft, wearable garment powered by embedded artificial muscle fibers to assist movement, while Linux demonstrated an ultra-quiet bed system that automatically shifts a patient’s posture to prevent pressure sores.

Beyond hardware, engineers are linking these machines to central digital networks.

Monitoring platforms developed by companies like Robocare allow data to follow patients as they transition from hospital beds to home care, ensuring uninterrupted health tracking.

The National Rehabilitation Center said it plans to expand these field tests, integrating domain-specific artificial intelligence into future models to refine how robots respond to human needs in real time.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

周三在首尔，开发商和卫生官员展示了旨在帮助韩国老年人和残疾人的新一代护理机器人。这些机器人能够跨越陡峭的门槛、协助洗澡并监测泌尿系统健康。官员和研究人员正积极推动它们进入家庭和社区，以缓解护理人员短缺的问题。韩国国立康复中心表示，护理机器人应该能够解决老年人和残疾人在生活环境中遇到的实际问题。

大邱天主教大学医疗中心研发的一款紧凑型室内移动机器人可以跨越 100 毫米高的台阶，并帮助患者往返卫生间。

Daewon Inmul 展示了一种可转换的胶囊式淋浴椅，让卧床病人能够安全地洗澡，减少护士的体力消耗。

Hijera Networks 展示了一种可以预测严重泌尿系统疾病的自动排泄处理装置，而 NT Robot 则展示了一种为行动不便的人设计的便携式喂食装置。

浦项科技大学的研究人员展示了一种由嵌入式人造肌肉纤维驱动的柔软可穿戴服装，用于辅助运动；Linux 展示了一种超静音床系统，该系统可自动改变患者的姿势，以帮助预防褥疮。

Robocare 和类似的监控平台正在将这些机器连接到中央数字网络，以便数据可以跟踪患者从医院病床到家庭护理的整个过程。

发布于2026年9月16日下午12:25（韩国标准时间）

韩国本土机器人公司NT Robot展示了其便携式模块化喂食辅助机器人。该设备旨在帮助进食困难的老年人和残疾人士。图片由NT Robot提供。

在韩国各地的医院病房和私人住宅中，新一代的机械护理人员正在悄然接管繁重的医疗保健工作。

这些并非科幻小说中的人形机器人，而是专为应对老年护理和残疾人支持中那些棘手而又私密的现实情况而设计的高度专业化的机器人系统。周三，在首尔金九博物馆暨图书馆举行的公开展示会上，开发人员和卫生官员揭晓了这些能够跨越陡峭门槛、协助洗澡甚至监测泌尿系统健康的机器——这项技术变革旨在减轻快速老龄化社会中人类护理人员的负担。

展出的创新产品中，有一款由大邱天主教大学医疗中心开发的紧凑型室内移动机器人，它能够轻松越过100毫米高的台阶等室内障碍物，同时还能为往返卫生间的患者提供姿势支撑。附近，大元人物公司研发的可转换式胶囊淋浴椅则展示了自动化如何维护个人尊严，使卧床不起的患者能够安全沐浴，而无需护士付出大量体力。

“护理不能孤立地看待——不能将医疗与福利割裂开来，也不能将医院与社区割裂开来，”国立康复中心院长金东亚表示，“它必须与人的生活无缝衔接。护理机器人的研发不应仅仅为了技术本身，而应通过了解老年人和残疾人的具体生活环境来解决现实世界的问题。”

由于出生率骤降和老年人口不断增长，韩国正面临人口危机，长期护理需求已超过现有劳动力。为此，政府机构和私营企业正积极推动将机器人辅助服务从医疗机构转移到居民社区。

最新推出的这套工具旨在满足日常生理需求，这些需求往往会使人类助手疲惫不堪。

Hijera Networks公司展示了一款能够预测严重泌尿系统疾病的自动化排泄处理装置，而Neable公司则展示了一款专为狭小家庭空间设计的滑动式转移系统。在餐饮方面，NT Robot公司展示了一款便携式喂食装置，旨在帮助行动不便的人士独立进食。

其他研发成果旨在缓解患者和工作人员的长期身体压力。

浦项科技大学的研究人员展示了一种柔软的可穿戴服装，该服装由嵌入式人造肌肉纤维驱动，用于辅助运动；而 Linux 公司则展示了一种超静音的床系统，该系统可自动改变患者的姿势以防止褥疮。

除了硬件之外，工程师们还在将这些机器连接到中央数字网络。

Robocare 等公司开发的监测平台能够跟踪患者从医院病床过渡到家庭护理的过程，从而确保不间断的健康跟踪。

美国国家康复中心表示，计划扩大这些实地测试，将特定领域的人工智能集成到未来的模型中，以改进机器人实时响应人类需求的方式。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。