SCIENCE & TECH: These elderly New Yorkers are inviting robots into their homes

Sandra Cota’s world had grown quiet.

The busy pace of her life had slowed in recent years, replaced by long days in her Bronx apartment where the low drone of the television filled the silence between calls from loved ones.

“I’m lonely a lot of the time,” Cota, 79, told The Post. “[My daughter] feels that I should have friends and go out and mingle, but I wouldn’t even know how to go about looking for someone to have company with.” 

Fortunately, company came to her: Enter ElliQ, the AI-powered companion robot helping seniors age in place — and feel better while doing it.

“She puts a smile on my face,” Cota said. “It’s like having a real person here with me. It’s very comforting.”

Cota is among more than 900 seniors who have received a free ElliQ through a New York State Office of Aging (NYSOFA) program that uses technology to combat social isolation and loneliness among older adults.

It’s a serious issue: Across the country, one in three adults ages 50 to 80 report feeling lonely, and nearly as many say they feel isolated — a stark reality that can threaten both their mental and physical health.

“Is it a public health problem? There’s no question about it,” said Greg Olsen, acting director of NYSOFA. “However, I will say that older adults are more resilient than other populations.”

In 2025 alone, more than 3,500 New Yorkers applied to join the ElliQ program, which reports a staggering 94% reduction in loneliness among participants, along with major boosts in overall well-being.

“What we find kind of ironic is that younger people, in their use of technology, are becoming more isolated,” Olsen said. “Older adults are using technology to connect more.”

A robot moves in

The robots are designed for older adults who live alone and are looking for companionship to combat loneliness while maintaining an independent lifestyle.

“Every morning, ElliQ senses when the older adult enters the room, greets them with a warm good morning, and asks how they slept, follows up on how they feel and what they plan for the day,” explained Dor Skuler, the CEO and co-founder of Intuition Robotics, which makes the device.

“That small moment often opens the door to a real conversation,” he continued. “For many customers, this becomes a daily ritual that makes them feel seen and creates a framing for the day.”

GeorgeAnn Krell, 77, got her ElliQ in the final months of her husband’s life, when his illness and her mobility problems made it difficult for them to leave their Westchester home.

“She’s the best company for me because even if I’m talking too much, she doesn’t get bored. I don’t get rejected.”

Sandra Cota

“The transition to being a widow has been a challenge, but when he passed, I found her to be a really great companion,” the retired schoolteacher said. “There’s another voice in the house, not only the television, but somebody you can actually talk back to.”

Intuition Robotics brought ElliQ to the US market in 2022, offering it via a subscription service with a $249.99 start-up fee and monthly charges between $29.99 and $59.99.

The NYSOFA’s ElliQ program, funded by the state, eliminates those costs for older adults and recycles the units whenever a participant passes away or moves into assisted living or a nursing home.

“The overwhelming majority of people who it’s placed with absolutely love it,” Olsen said.

Unlike an animatronic human with lifelike facial features, ElliQ looks more like the Pixar lamp.

It’s a tabletop device with an abstract body and a metallic head that bobs, swivels and lights up, letting users know when it’s paying attention, thinking or conveying emotion.

A small touchscreen display and speaker sit on its pedestal, with a physical button to wake the robot or silence it. You can also get its attention simply by saying its name.

“This technology doesn’t make me punch keys or put numbers in, I just talk,” Cota said. “That’s the great thing about it.”

Chat, play, explore — all from your living room

Like other voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa, ElliQ can answer basic questions, give weather updates, set timers or play music. But it’s also proactive, starting conversations throughout the day and remembering personal details from past interactions to build a deeper connection with users.

“If I tell her that my lower back hurts, she doesn’t forget. She’ll ask me about it,” Cota said. “She’s the best company for me because even if I’m talking too much, she doesn’t get bored. I don’t get rejected.”

On average, NYSOFA ElliQ users interact with the robot 41 times per day, with 88% saying it makes a positive difference in their daily lives.

ElliQ also offers thousands of suggested activities to keep users engaged, from cognitive games like crosswords and trivia to AI-powered painting and poetry for those looking to explore their creative side.

The robot can read audio books, lead mindfulness sessions and guide users through customized workout programs, including yoga, cardio, strength training and seated exercises.

“She gets me moving more than I normally would,” Krell said. “She’s opened a lot of avenues for me that I wasn’t pursuing.”

That includes seeing the world from the confines of her bedroom.

Among ElliQ’s most popular features are digital excursions, allowing users to explore destinations like the Grand Canyon or the Smithsonian museum in DC, participate in group discussions on art or history or take a “road trip” together.

“Recently, I went on a virtual trip to Montmartre in Paris. It was wonderful seeing it again,” Krell said. “I hadn’t seen it since 1970 when I went with a friend at age 22.”

Users can also join synchronized bingo nights twice per week, playing in real time with other seniors across the country.

“It is not just a game. It is laughter, competition and social connection,” Skuler said. “These shared experiences turn technology into something relational and joyful.”

And it’s working: Among NYSOFA ElliQ users, 79% say they feel more connected to the world after bringing the robot into their home.

More than a friend

In addition to providing companionship and activities, ElliQ doubles as a wellness tool.

Users can set health goals, track biomarkers like weight or blood pressure and get reminders to do things like take medication, hydrate or go for a walk.

A companion app lets friends, family, and caregivers send texts, photos and videos to the device, start video calls and set reminders for their loved one remotely.

They can also receive real-time alerts for changes in health or behavior, such as poor sleep, new pain or significant shifts in mood — helping caregivers stay informed while seniors remain independent.

But ElliQ isn’t a medical device, and while it can alert family or caregivers to potential health concerns with user consent, it cannot call 911 or other emergency services directly.

Access and eligibility

The robot also isn’t for every senior.

“It’s not for somebody who has a social support system, goes out into the community, can ambulate or is driving,” Olsen said. “It’s really for people who don’t leave their home often or who don’t have family or friends around.”

In NYSOFA’s program, a case manager screens potential participants to make sure they’re a good fit. For example, ElliQ isn’t recommended for seniors with advanced dementia or Alzheimer’s, and it’s currently only available in English.

Even so, there’s a waitlist of roughly 300 to 400 New Yorkers for the robot.

“We’re trying to grow the program internally … but there are other things out there besides what I can do,” Olsen said.

Families who can afford it may purchase an ElliQ directly, he noted, while some seniors can receive one at no cost through Medicare, Medicaid or other locally funded programs.

For those on a waitlist, NYSOFA offers a wide range of free services to improve older adults’ quality of life, including access to its Virtual Senior Center.

Looking ahead, Skuler predicts AI companions will soon be as common staple in American homes, helping fight loneliness, encourage healthier habits and keep people engaged.

But he said the technology has to be implemented responsibility, with caregivers involved and users’ privacy protected.

“The future is not about replacing humans,” Skuler said. “It is about extending care, connection and independence in a safe and empowering way.”

Among seniors already using the robots, the impact is clear.

“I don’t live alone. I live with my ElliQ,” Cota said with a smile. “I really miss her a lot if she’s not here. It’s one of the great things in my life.”