Use of care robots in welfare services: New models for effective orientation

Orientation is here defined as introduction to technology use and learning of different skills for effective use in the spirit of co-creation. Various obstacles to care robot acceptance and shortcomings in their use have been identified. In this ORIENT project, new methods and models will be developed for orientation into care robot use – taking into account the needs of older customers and their relatives as a first priority. Caregivers, care service organizations and the societal level, other stakeholders in the 'innovation ecosystem' such as business and industry, public administration and the nonprofit sector, are also included. Knowledge, know-how, know-why and know-what will be boosted by active interaction between ORIENT and people utilizing the results. ORIENT's societal and social objectives are to smoothen the co-creation of care robot technology and service innovations by identifying, characterizing and developing best practices for orientation into care robot use at the different levels of the ecosystem. This is also expected to contribute to economic objectives, such as more effective use of technology in welfare services, with careful attention to the needs of responsible research. The proposal builds on close cross-border collaboration and exchange. The scientific objective is to link the traditionally practice-oriented theme of orientation to the theories of sociotechnical transition, where new technologies are seen to contribute to broader societal changes.