Humanoid robots in elderly care are no longer a futuristic concept — they are actively working in nursing homes, hospitals, and private residences across the globe. From Japan's therapeutic seal robot Paro to South Korea's ChatGPT-powered Hyodol companion dolls and China's "Yang Yang" care robots, these machines are addressing one of the most urgent challenges of our time: how to provide quality care for a rapidly aging population.
The eldercare assistive robot market reached $3.14 billion in 2025 and is projected to hit $3.56 billion in 2026, growing to over $10 billion by 2035 at a 12.5% CAGR. With the global population aged 65+ surpassing 1 billion in 2023 and expected to reach 1.5 billion by 2050, the demand for robotic care solutions is accelerating faster than ever.
This guide covers every major aspect of humanoid robots in elderly care — the specific robots being deployed today, real-world results from clinical studies, the latest 2025–2026 developments, and the ethical questions that still need answering.
Key Takeaways
- Humanoid robots are actively deployed in elderly care facilities across Japan, South Korea, China, the US, and Europe — not a future concept but a present reality.
- The eldercare robot market is valued at $3.14 billion (2025) and growing at 12.5% CAGR, driven by a global aging crisis and caregiver shortages.
- Real robots like Paro, Pepper, NAO, Hyodol, ElliQ, Ryan, Fourier GR-3, and 1X NEO each serve distinct functions — from companionship to physical assistance to health monitoring.
- Clinical studies show measurable benefits: reduced anxiety, improved mood, better social engagement, and relief for overburdened care staff.
- China launched a national pilot program in 2025 requiring at least 200 robots deployed across 200 families for minimum 6-month trials.
- Key challenges remain: high costs ($6,000–$100,000+), privacy concerns with AI-powered data collection, and the ethical tension between robotic companionship and human connection.
Why Elderly Care Needs Humanoid Robots: The Scale of the Crisis
The numbers paint a stark picture. The global population aged 65 and older reached approximately 1 billion in 2023, with projections suggesting it will grow to 1.5 billion by 2050. In many developed nations, care worker shortages are already critical.
South Korea became a "super-aged society" in 2024, with more than 20% of its population over 65. Elderly suicide rates there are the highest among all OECD nations, driven largely by isolation and loneliness. Japan — the world's oldest country by median age — has pioneered robotic care solutions for over two decades. China's elderly population is growing so fast that the government launched a national elderly-care robot pilot program in June 2025, requiring companies to deploy at least 200 robots to 200 families for trial periods of six months or more.
Meanwhile, care worker shortages plague Western nations. The United States faces a projected shortfall of hundreds of thousands of home health aides, while Germany and the UK report similar gaps. The math is simple: there are not enough human caregivers for the number of elderly people who need care.
This is where humanoid robots step in — not to replace human caregivers, but to fill critical gaps in a system that is already stretched beyond capacity.
Types of Robots Used in Elderly Care
Not all care robots are alike. They range from plush companion dolls to full-size humanoid machines, each designed for specific needs. Here are the three main categories:
Social and Companion Robots
Social robots focus on emotional well-being — combating loneliness, stimulating conversation, and providing a sense of presence. They are the most widely deployed category in elderly care today.
Paro — the robotic baby harp seal developed in Japan — remains the gold standard in this category. Designed by AIST researcher Takanori Shibata, Paro has been used in care facilities worldwide since 2003. A 2019 review by researcher Lillian Hung at the University of British Columbia analyzed 29 studies and found three consistent benefits: reduced negative emotions and behaviors, better social engagement, and improved mood.
In one particularly striking case at Vancouver General Hospital, a dementia patient who was hitting staff and kicking lab technicians became calm after Paro was placed in his lap. He began petting the robot and talking to it, allowing medical staff to perform necessary tests. "The patient had quality care and safety, and the staff were able to get their work done," Hung reported.
Hyodol is a newer entrant from South Korea — a ChatGPT-powered doll-like robot deployed to over 12,000 elderly people living alone across the country. It uses conversational AI to chat with seniors, reminds them to take medication, and has sensors that alert social workers during emergencies. The Guro district of Seoul alone has distributed 412 units since 2019. Hyodol is preparing for a US launch in 2026, adapting its chatbot for English, Chinese, and Japanese.
ElliQ, developed by Israeli company Intuition Robotics, is deployed in apartments across New York City. Resembling a small Pixar lamp, it engages seniors in conversations about everything from daily activities to the meaning of life, and proactively initiates check-ins to combat isolation.
Ryan, built by Mohammad Mahoor at the University of Denver, is a humanoid companion specifically designed for people with early-stage dementia or depression. In a study where six older adults had around-the-clock access to Ryan for 4–6 weeks, participants reported enjoying conversations and feeling happier, though they noted it was not the same as talking to a real person.
Service and Physical Assistance Robots
Service robots help with the physical aspects of daily life — mobility support, household tasks, logistics, and rehabilitation.
Fourier GR-3 represents the cutting edge of this category. Unveiled in August 2025 as the company's first full-size "Care-bot," GR-3 stands 165 cm tall, weighs 71 kg, and has 55 degrees of freedom. What sets it apart is its Full-Perception Multimodal Interaction System, which fuses vision, audio, and tactile feedback into a real-time emotional processing engine. With 31 pressure sensors across its body, it can detect touch and respond with lifelike gestures. It uses a dual-path architecture: "fast thinking" for reflexive responses and "slow thinking" powered by a large language model for complex conversations. Fourier is targeting eldercare, rehabilitation, and service environments.
1X NEO (from 1X, formerly Halodi Robotics) is a general-purpose humanoid designed to operate in home environments. The company raised $100 million in 2025 specifically to develop robots for elder care and assistive tasks. NEO is built for everyday tasks in unstructured settings rather than factory floors.
Robotic exoskeletons from companies like Ekso Bionics and ReWalk assist elderly individuals with walking and rehabilitation. These wearable devices reduce fall risk and help maintain mobility, which is critical for independent living.
TUG robots handle hospital logistics — transporting supplies, medications, and meals — freeing nursing staff to focus on patient care.
Medical Monitoring and Health Robots
Medical assistance robots integrate health monitoring with daily care routines. They can track vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen), provide medication reminders, detect falls, and transmit health data to physicians or family members in real time.
Pepper (originally by SoftBank Robotics, now owned by United Robotics Group after SoftBank sold Aldebaran in 2022) has been extensively studied in clinical settings. Researcher Arshia Khan at the University of Minnesota placed Pepper and NAO robots in eight nursing homes in Minnesota. Compared with facilities without robots, residents who interacted with them felt happier, more cared for, and less tired and frustrated.
Note: Aldebaran, the manufacturer of Pepper and NAO, filed for bankruptcy in February 2025. This development has raised questions about the future support and availability of these widely-studied robots, and highlights the business viability challenges in the care robotics space.
Comparison: Major Robots Used in Elderly Care (2026)
Real-World Deployments and Clinical Evidence
The evidence base for robots in elderly care has grown substantially. Here are the most significant real-world programs and studies:
South Korea: Hyodol National Rollout
South Korea's approach is arguably the most ambitious. Facing a demographic crisis (the world's lowest birth rate combined with rapid aging), the government has subsidized Hyodol robot deployments through municipal welfare centers. Over 12,000 units are now in the homes of elderly people living alone. Care workers in Seoul's Guro district describe the robots as "eyes and ears on the ground," alerting them to emergencies and tracking whether seniors are eating and taking medication.
The emotional impact has been profound. One elderly user told reporters: "I was going to die, but not anymore. Why would I die in such a wonderful world!" — attributing her renewed outlook to her Hyodol companion.
China: National Pilot Program (2025)
In June 2025, China's government launched a formal national elderly-care robot pilot program. The initiative requires companies and research institutes to conduct trials of at least six months, deploying a minimum of 200 robots to 200 families. For community and nursing home tests, similar scale requirements apply. Companies like Unitree Robotics, UBTech, Fourier, and AgiBot are all participating.
In Chengdu's Pacific Care Home, a humanoid robot named "Yang Yang" already wakes residents each morning, provides weather updates, and reminds them of daily activities. The Chinese government's stated goal is to address "the full life-cycle needs of elder adults, including daily care, rehabilitation, psychological support and emotional companionship."
United States: Minnesota Nursing Home Study
Arshia Khan's study at the University of Minnesota placed Pepper and NAO robots in eight nursing homes. The results were clear: compared with control facilities, residents interacting with robots felt happier, more cared for, and less frustrated. The robots led group activities including bingo, trivia, and guided conversations.
Canada: Vancouver General Hospital
Lillian Hung's research at UBC demonstrated Paro's effectiveness with dementia patients in acute care settings. Beyond the individual calming cases, her 2019 review of 29 studies confirmed consistent benefits across three domains: reduced agitation, improved social engagement, and better care experiences.
The CARESSES Trial
The CARESSES (Culture-Aware Robots and Environmental Sensor Systems for Elderly Support) randomized controlled trial tested culturally competent Pepper robots in care homes. This landmark study explored whether robots that adapt to cultural backgrounds can improve outcomes — a critical factor as care robots deploy globally across diverse populations.
How Humanoid Robots Benefit Elderly Care
Combating Loneliness and Isolation
Loneliness is not just an emotional issue — it's a health crisis. Research links chronic loneliness to increased risks of dementia, heart disease, stroke, and premature death. For elderly people living alone, the absence of daily social contact can be devastating.
Social robots address this by providing consistent, judgment-free interaction. As Lillian Hung noted: "For an older person who is frail and struggles with language, the robot doesn't judge. It offers an unconditional presence. Regardless of what they say, it is always happy to listen."
While robots cannot fully replace human connection, they fill critical gaps — especially during nights, weekends, and between caregiver visits.
Reducing Caregiver Burnout
Care workers face extraordinary physical and emotional demands. Staff shortages mean longer shifts, higher patient-to-caregiver ratios, and burnout. Robots can handle routine tasks — medication reminders, activity leadership, basic health monitoring, logistics — freeing human caregivers to focus on complex, empathetic care that requires a human touch.
In South Korea, care workers reported that while Hyodol maintenance added to their workload, the psychological benefits for seniors were worth the effort. The robots acted as a force multiplier rather than a replacement.
Supporting Independent Living
Most seniors prefer to age at home rather than move to institutional care. Robots that can monitor health, remind about medications, detect falls, and facilitate communication with family members make independent living safer and more sustainable. The 1X NEO robot, for example, is specifically designed for home environments and everyday tasks in unstructured settings.
Health Monitoring and Emergency Response
Medical assistance robots provide continuous monitoring that human caregivers cannot. They can track vital signs 24/7, detect anomalies, and alert medical professionals or family members immediately. This is particularly valuable for managing chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease — conditions that affect the majority of elderly adults.
Challenges Facing Robot-Assisted Elderly Care
Cost and Accessibility
The cost barrier remains significant. Paro costs approximately $6,000 per unit. Pepper robots were $20,000–$25,000 before the manufacturer's bankruptcy. Full-size humanoid robots like Fourier's GR-3 will likely cost significantly more. For nursing homes operating on thin margins and families on fixed incomes, these prices are prohibitive without government subsidies or insurance coverage.
Some models are becoming more accessible — ElliQ costs around $250 plus $30/month — but the most capable robots remain expensive. Government pilot programs in South Korea and China are demonstrating that public funding can bridge this gap.
Privacy and Data Security
Modern care robots collect vast amounts of personal data: health metrics, daily routines, conversations, facial recognition data, and home environment information. AI-powered chatbots like Hyodol's process conversations through cloud-based systems (ChatGPT), raising questions about where that data goes and who can access it.
As ethics researcher Julie Carpenter noted: "We don't know how the data is being triangulated or gathered." For elderly users who may not fully understand AI data practices, informed consent is a serious concern.
The Human Connection Debate
This is perhaps the most profound ethical question. Gerontologist Clara Berridge at the University of Washington recalls a story about a nursing home resident who died clutching his robot companion. Students were split: some thought it was beautiful he wasn't alone; others found it tragic he died without human connection.
"If we're going to invest resources in elder care, I want more staff in the facility so they don't die alone," Berridge said. Her own grandmother died alone in an understaffed nursing home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research evidence supporting robots' effectiveness is still developing. While individual studies show benefits, large-scale randomized controlled trials are limited. Some researchers caution against rushing to deploy robots when the fundamental issue is understaffing and underfunding of human care.
Technical Limitations
Despite advances, creating a robot that can safely navigate a home, understand natural language reliably, and physically assist with tasks like bathing or transfers remains technically challenging. Most deployed robots today are either stationary companions (Paro, Hyodol, ElliQ) or require controlled environments. True humanoid assistants that can operate autonomously in a home setting are still in early development phases.
Manufacturer Viability
The bankruptcy of Aldebaran (maker of Pepper and NAO) in February 2025 highlighted a critical risk: the companies building care robots may not survive commercially. When a robot manufacturer goes under, support, updates, and replacement parts can disappear — leaving care facilities with expensive paperweights.
The Future: What's Coming in 2026 and Beyond
Several developments will shape the near-term future of humanoid robots in elderly care:
China's national pilot results — The 2025 pilot program will generate the largest structured dataset on elderly care robot effectiveness. Results expected in 2026 will likely influence global policy.
Fourier GR-3 commercialization — Following its CES 2026 showcase, Fourier's care-centric humanoid could become the first full-size robot specifically designed and marketed for eldercare at commercial scale.
1X NEO home deployment — With $100 million in funding, 1X is positioning NEO as the first general-purpose humanoid for home use, with elder care as a primary use case.
Hyodol's US expansion — The 2026 US launch will test whether a companion robot designed for Korean culture can succeed in Western markets.
LLM-powered interaction — The integration of large language models (like ChatGPT) into care robots is dramatically improving conversational ability. Robots are becoming better listeners, more contextually aware, and more engaging in conversation.
Government policy expansion — Following South Korea and China's lead, more nations are expected to develop formal policies and funding mechanisms for care robotics. The eldercare robot market is projected to reach $7.7 billion by 2030 and $12.2 billion by 2033.
January 2026: CES and New Entrants
Several major developments emerged at CES 2026 in January:
- Mind With Heart Robotics showcased its An'An Panda Cub Robot — a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree — designed specifically for loneliness and elderly care. Made with premium Australian wool and featuring 10+ full-body tactile sensors, An'An represents a new wave of biomimetic companion robots that mimic natural animal movements to provide emotional comfort.
- Japan's Moonshot AIREC Robot — Funded by the Japan Science and Technology Agency and powered by NVIDIA, the AIREC (AI-Driven Robot for Embrace and Care) project is developing robots capable of physical caregiving tasks including changing diapers, bath assistance, and meal support. Professor Tetsuya Ogata of Waseda University noted that generative AI breakthroughs have made what seemed impossible five years ago now "seriously possible."
- Fourier GR-3 made its formal CES 2026 debut, positioning itself as the most capable full-size humanoid specifically targeting eldercare, rehabilitation, and service environments.
How to Choose a Care Robot for an Elderly Family Member
If you're considering a care robot for an elderly loved one, here's what to evaluate:
- Identify the primary need — Is it companionship (Paro, Hyodol, ElliQ), physical assistance (exoskeletons, future humanoids), or health monitoring (medical robots)?
- Assess tech comfort level — Simpler robots like Paro require zero technical skill. Chatbot-based robots need basic voice interaction. Full humanoids will require more setup.
- Check ongoing costs — Beyond purchase price, some robots have subscription fees (ElliQ: $30/month) or may need software updates and maintenance.
- Evaluate privacy policies — Understand what data the robot collects, where it's stored, and who has access. This is especially important for AI-powered chatbot robots.
- Consider the care environment — A nursing home may benefit from an interactive humanoid like Pepper for group activities. A solo-living senior may prefer a personal companion like Hyodol or ElliQ.
- Don't replace human contact — Robots should supplement, not substitute, visits from family, friends, and professional caregivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best humanoid robots for elderly care in 2026?
The most effective robots currently deployed in elderly care include Paro (a therapeutic seal robot used globally since 2003), Hyodol (a ChatGPT-powered companion doll with 12,000+ deployments in South Korea), ElliQ (a proactive AI companion used in New York), and Pepper/NAO (humanoid robots used in clinical research, though the manufacturer filed for bankruptcy in 2025). New entrants like Fourier's GR-3 Care-bot and 1X NEO are designed specifically for eldercare and home assistance.
How much do elderly care robots cost?
Costs vary dramatically by robot type. Paro costs approximately $6,000. ElliQ is around $250 plus $30/month subscription. Pepper robots were $20,000–$25,000 before Aldebaran's bankruptcy. Full-size humanoid robots like Fourier GR-3 and 1X NEO have not yet announced consumer pricing but are expected to cost significantly more. Government subsidies in South Korea and China have made companion robots available to elderly citizens at no personal cost.
Can robots actually reduce loneliness in elderly people?
Clinical evidence says yes, with caveats. A review of 29 studies of Paro found consistent improvements in mood, social engagement, and reduced negative behaviors. Studies of Pepper and NAO in Minnesota nursing homes showed residents felt happier and more cared for. However, participants in a Ryan robot study noted the experience was "not the same as talking to a real person." Robots are most effective as supplements to — not replacements for — human social interaction.
Are elderly care robots safe to use?
Companion robots like Paro, Hyodol, and ElliQ are designed with safety as a primary concern — they are lightweight, have no sharp edges, and do not move autonomously through the environment. Full-size humanoid robots like GR-3 incorporate extensive safety systems including compliant actuators and force-sensing. The primary safety concerns are around data privacy (what personal information is collected and how it's used) rather than physical harm.
What is China's elderly care robot pilot program?
In June 2025, China launched a national pilot program requiring companies and research institutes to deploy at least 200 robots to 200 families for trial periods of six months or more. The program addresses "the full life-cycle needs of elder adults, including daily care, rehabilitation, psychological support and emotional companionship." Major Chinese robotics firms including Unitree, UBTech, Fourier, and AgiBot are participating.
Will humanoid robots replace human caregivers?
No — and that's not their intended purpose. Every researcher and developer interviewed consistently positions robots as supplements to human care, not replacements. Robots handle routine tasks (medication reminders, basic monitoring, companionship during off-hours) so human caregivers can focus on complex, empathetic care. The fundamental problem is that there aren't enough human caregivers to meet demand, and robots help bridge that gap.
Related: Humanoid Robots in Healthcare: How They Will Revolutionize The Industry · Applications of Humanoid Robots
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