THE inaugural Beijing Intelligent Eldercare Robot Application Competition was launched Tuesday in Beijing’s E-Town, spotlighting robotics as a critical and sustainable solution to China’s rapidly growing aging population. “This truly is the breakthrough year for robotics,” said Sun Ling, vice president of Beijing E-Town Robot Technology Industry Development Co. Ltd. The competition, themed “Smart Technology Empowering Elderly Services,” targets the workforce shortage in eldercare. A key focus is developing robots capable of performing physically demanding care tasks, such as safely moving immobile seniors. “We’re developing a lightweight humanoid robot specifically to address the difficulties in transferring and repositioning bedridden seniors,” said Ji Junjie, an expert in embodied intelligence algorithms at the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. “By enhancing joint flexibility, we aim to improve safety in eldercare settings, ultimately assisting human caregivers,” he said. Beyond physical assistance, the event attracted entries spanning rehabilitation training, companionship, health monitoring, and public service robots. Participants represented the entire supply chain, from hardware and software developers to care service providers, showcasing diverse applications designed to meet multifaceted elderly needs. While acknowledging the sector is still in its infancy, experts express confidence in its rapid growth. “With continued investment, supportive government policies, and China’s strength in robotic hardware and AI algorithms, robots will definitely integrate into elderly care and the broader silver economy,” said Lyu Zeping, dean of the Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital of the National Research Center for Rehabilitation Technical Aids. Data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs revealed that by the end of 2024, China had over 310 million people aged 60 or above — constituting 22% of the total population. This group is expected to exceed 400 million by 2035. Research by the China Aging Development Foundation revealed a shortage of 5.5 million care workers in 2024, with nearly 90% of the workforce being over 40. (SD-Agencies) | 