Robotic Exoskeletons and Social, Companion, and Service Robots
Robotics is an emerging technology presenting great opportunities for the future of eAccessbility and Assistive Technologies. This is why this chapter aims to present the current state of the art in the domain together with the potential that robotics holds for the future. More specifically, it presents recent efforts on social and companion robotics and the dangers and current challenges we are facing in that area, such as autonomy, security, the risk of seclusion for people being taken care of by robots, etc. Furthermore, this chapter is also discussing the developments in another area of robotics dealing with robotic exoskeletons. Exoskeletons are now being used in specific working environments and could in the future become a useful technology of people with disabilities. Some first examples are presented, and the chapter discusses issues such as the potential transfer of knowledge and expertise from other applications and the use of assistive technologies for helping caretakers instead of the actual persons in need.