Investors: Press Release
GeckoSystems' Elder Care Robot Trial Caregiver Shares New Insights
CONYERS, Ga., June 17, 2010 -- GeckoSystems Intl. Corp. (PINKSHEETS: GCKO) -- announced today that one of their care giver participants has noted some unexpected benefits resulting from her usage of GeckoSystems' first product, a personal assistant robot for family care, the CareBot(tm). Her testimonial characterizes the some of the benefits she is realizing from the CareBot and its new GeckoScheduler(tm).
GeckoSystems is a dynamic leader in the emerging Mobile Service Robot (MSR) industry revolutionizing their development and usage with their "Mobile Robot Solutions for Safety, Security, and Service™".
The new GeckoScheduler was completely rewritten in the last few months as a result of these ongoing, world's first elder care robot trials. It enables the primary caregiver to more easily set the date, time and frequency of medication reminders, TV show reminders, repetition of family anecdotes, etc.
"I am pleased to report on a number of insights regarding my involvement with the in home evaluation trials of the GeckoSystems's CareBot™. First, I was concerned that my elderly mother would be a little frightened by the robot and not want it in her room, but that is not the case. She likes it and seems pleased to have this "companion" in close proximity. When it speaks to her she answers back and is delighted at having a conversation with the robot!
"Second, the robot has been able to reassure her and make her feel more comfortable. At times she is disoriented and often thinks she is not in her home. With the upgraded GeckoScheduler and GeckoChat™, I am now able to have the CareBot remind her every hour that indeed she is at home. She responds with much relief stating that she thought she was 'far, far away.'
"Third, she takes in what the CareBot says to her as being authoritative. When I tell her it is time for her shower she does not want to do it and tries to procrastinate. When the robot tells her it is time for her shower, she gets ready. I never thought a robot would have more influence over my mother than I do! All three of these insights have been surprising and helpful to me," stated the caregiver.
GeckoSystems is protecting the privacy of its elder care robot trials' participants with a sincere commitment to maintain their identities confidential.
"While we have made, and expect to continue to make, numerous tuning adjustments to the CareBot, none of them have required significant changes in our suite of software and hardware technologies. These incremental changes have not diminished the fundamental robustness of our mobile robot solutions, nor will these changes impact our ability to manufacture these new home appliances in the high volumes needed due to our perception of pent up demand in family care --especially elder care.
"We are learning that valued family behaviors can be readily expressed to the care receiver using a CareBot due to the robustness of its functionality. We continue to look forward to further exploration and understanding of the social interaction between the family, the CareBot, and the care receiver in the coming weeks and months of these in home assistive care robot trials. With our in home personal assistant robot trials progressing nicely, we have already learned a great deal as to the reality of beneficial social interaction between human and robot in domestic settings as quoted in the testimonial above. There seems to be a very important positive --and unforeseen by some parties-- impact of valued family behaviors for all members in using a CareBot to communicate their thoughts and feelings to their beloved family members," commented Martin Spencer, President/CEO, GeckoSystems.
The elderly frequently endure loneliness and/or loss of independence when living in nursing homes or other assisted living facilities. This new type of remote medical monitoring system, a CareBot, will postpone, if not eliminate that trauma to them. Their families can now better manage the difficult decisions regarding the independence they allow their now dependent parent while minimizing the risk the adult care giver is willing to assume for a prudent level of independence for their now reliant parent.
Some believe that the technology is approved and paid for through options such as the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, which broadens the definition, use, and funding of technology at home. Other sources include long-term care insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, Medicaid waivers, and (potentially) stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, under the provisions for health information technology and electronic medical records for acute care.
Like an automobile, mobile robots are made from steel, aluminum, plastic, and electronics, but with ten to twenty times the amount of software running. The CareBot has an aluminum frame, plastic shroud, two independently driven wheels, multiple sensor systems, microprocessors and several onboard computers connected in a local area network (LAN). The microprocessors directly interact with the sensor systems and transmit data to the onboard computers. The onboard computers each run independent, highly specialized cooperative/subsumptive artificial intelligence software programs, GeckoSavants™, which interact to complete tasks in a timely, intelligent and common sense manner.
GeckoSuper™, GeckoNav™, GeckoChat™, GeckoScheduler™ and GeckoTrak™ are primary GeckoSavants™. The GeckoSuper is the GeckoSavant responsible for system-wide orchestrated "common sense." For example, given two or more inputs, GeckoSuper can determine the order in which these inputs need to be addressed. GeckoNav is the AI software guidance system for the CareBot that provides automatic self-navigation without human intervention. GeckoNav is responsible for all fully autonomous maneuvering, such as avoiding dynamic and/or static obstacles, running errands and patrolling. GeckoChat is responsible for interaction with the care-receiver such as answering questions, assisting with daily routines and reminders, and responding to other verbal commands. GeckoTrak is the AI software system using sensor fusion that delivers a goal to GeckoNav by way of the GeckoSuper to seek.
"GeckoScheduler completes the suite of our fundamental GeckoSavants with the dissimilar yet synergistic, functional benefits needed to cost effectively provide utility to families for remote care taking of their members and other loved ones. This type of beneficial artificial intelligence (AI) makes the CareBot more personal and uniquely customized for the particular person to be assisted. Not only does this capability enable new forms of social interaction and community for families --even when dispersed geographically, it will also increase ROI for our investors as we address this pent up demand," concluded Spencer.