Beijing explores robots to support aging population

In Beijing's Haidian district, Shen Tu's grandfather, now in his nineties, often plays chess with a small robot called Sense.

"I used to play chess with him when I was young," Shen said. "Now, when I can't be with him, at least the robot keeps him company." For the family, the robot has become a familiar part of everyday care.

Scenes like this are becoming more common in Beijing as the city explores how robots can support elderly care by gradually applying robotics to their daily lives.

Residents aged 60 and above numbered 5.14 million in 2024, surpassing the five-million mark for the first time, according to a report on Beijing's elderly care development released by the Beijing Association on Aging. The growing ageing population has placed mounting pressure on care systems, driving robotics research and application.

Between 2025 and 2027, Beijing has planned pilot programs to apply intelligent elderly-care robots across households, communities, and institutional settings, according to the Beijing Bureau of Economy and Information Technology. The initiatives focus on rehabilitation support, daily assistance, emotional companionship, and more.

In Dongsheng town's Longgang community in Haidian district, a senior technology experience center has become a testing ground for such efforts. The center has introduced rehabilitation robots, wearable exoskeletons, and other smart elderly-care devices.

"We serve more than 6,000 elderly residents across nearby neighborhoods," said Miao Fanghe, the center's manager. "Since October, hundreds have come to try these technologies and receive services."

Beijing AI-Robotics Technology provides exoskeletons for hospitals in Beijing and offers rehabilitation training and experience sessions to communities in Xicheng district and Beijing E-town.

"Many elderly users come to us after falls or due to muscle degeneration and bone health issues," said Zhao Pengcheng, a marketing staff member at the company. "These rehabilitation devices help them regain mobility, while walking-assist exoskeletons help reduce knee strain."

Robots are also appearing in Taikang community's Yan Garden in Changping district, where they assist with rehab, mobility, and health monitoring.

Despite growing adoption, challenges remain. For Li Jian, a professor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications who studies intelligent elderly care and rehabilitation, current elderly-care robotics are helpful but far from perfect.

"Age-friendly design, especially safety and practicality, is the key that still needs improvement," he said.