Tech

This At-Home Robot Will Manage Your Health Care

The device does far more than dispense medications, according to its developers.

This At-Home Robot Will Manage Your Health Care
Pillo Health

People who forget to take and refill their medications and vitamins may soon have a new best friend.

Meet Pillo, a personal home health robot.

"Here are your cholesterol pills. I see you're running low. Shall I reorder them for you?" Pillo asks a household member. 

Besides dispensing medications and vitamins from tamper-proof storage, Pillo can automatically order prescription refills and answer health-related questions.  

Pillo, which wirelessly syncs to phones and other devices, also connects users to health care professionals and can notify caregivers if a user forgets to take medication.

According to the developers, the robot, which launched on crowdfunding site Indiegogo last week, makes it possible with facial and voice recognition technology.  

But there are skeptics out there. Some are wondering why investors haven't jumped at the chance to fund such a high-tech creation and why the fundraising goal is a low $75,000. 

The developers say they had already raised a "significant" amount of money without approaching venture capital investors. 

Pillo Health's fundraising already looks promising. In less than a week, it's reached nearly 70 percent of its goal.

If it ends up being produced, Pillo would join other health care robots like Cody, a robot that can sponge-bathe the elderly. Cody was developed by Georgia Tech engineers in 2010.  

As for Pillo, the developers hope to start shipping the robot next July. It's expected to cost $599. 

This video includes clips from Pillo Health and Georgia Tech