Barcelona Deploys 600 Companion Robots to Elderly Homes for Medication Reminders, Safety Monitoring, and Company

Barcelona has placed 600 Misty Robotics companion robots in private homes and care centers as part of a €3.8 million EU-funded pilot to support people in the early stages of cognitive decline. The 1.35-meter-tall robots remind residents to take medication, announce doctor appointments, provide a wake-up call each morning, and say goodnight. In emergencies, residents can call a social worker through the device, which has a camera that can be activated remotely to assess the situation. The robots also offer entertainment apps, calendars, maps, and animated faces. One resident, 67-year-old Irene Veglison, named her robot Sandi and danced with it for the first time in over two decades. Barcelona city officials said the next goal is equipping the robots to detect falls and alert professionals automatically. The deployment addresses a real demographic crunch: nearly 2 million Spaniards over 65 live alone, and the country needs to double its long-term care workforce by 2030 — but low pay has deterred younger workers. The robots are built by U.S.-based Misty Robotics and distributed in Europe by Catalan firm Grup Saltó.