Service robot for the elderly

In recent years, service robots have received a lot of attention from both industry and academia. They are individually designed to performtasks in an unstructured environment for working with or assisting humans [1], [2]. Such robots thus have to be able to actively interact with potential users in their surroundings and to appropriately offer their services. Until now, a number of service robots have been introduced such as vacuum cleaning robots, home security robots, entertainment robots, and guide robots [2]?[4]. In particular, robots that are able to assist the elderly are becoming very important with a dramatic increase in the aging population and costs of elderly care [1], [2], [5]. Several projects have been initiated in some developed countries to develop service robots, especially robotic aid systems [2], [5].