ElliQ is a surprisingly helpful companion robot for older adults

A striking development has emerged in artificial intelligence. Gadgets GadgetsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All Gadgets Tech TechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All Tech Smart Home Smart HomePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

FollowSee All Smart HomeElliQ is a surprisingly helpful companion robot for older adultsThe ElliQ companion robot encouraged my mom, who has Parkinson’s disease, to exercise again when little else was working. The ElliQ companion robot encouraged my mom, who has Parkinson’s disease, to exercise again when little else was working. by Sheena Vasani Sheena VasaniCommerce WriterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.

Technical Details

FollowSee All by Sheena VasaniMay 17, 2026, 1:00 PM UTC Photo: Sheena Vasani / The Verge Sheena Vasani Sheena VasaniPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. FollowSee All by Sheena Vasani writes about tech news, reviews gadgets, and helps readers save money by highlighting deals and product recommendations for The Verge. A week before the ElliQ robot arrived, a neurologist told me we need to rebalance my mom’s life.

Her Parkinson’s disease medication had steadily become less effective over the previous month, and with it, she had slowly stopped doing many of the things crucial to managing the disease — exercising, socializing, and engaging in hobbies. The result was a rapid, noticeable decline. As my mom’s primary caregiver, I was open to any help I could get.

And surprisingly, ElliQ did help in a way I never expected. Before increasing her medication dosage again — something that can come with serious side effects — her doctor wanted us to see whether lifestyle changes could help reduce the frequency of her “off” periods: stretches during the day when Parkinson’s symptoms temporarily worsen as the medication’s effectiveness fluctuates and begins to wear off. The problem was that, for weeks, my mom — who lives with me — resisted nearly all of my attempts to encourage her to do those things.

Industry Implications

Even the caregivers who help out during the day while I work had little success. ElliQ AI Companion Robot$ 249$ 249$249 at ElliQThat’s what made ElliQ intriguing enough to me that I decided to try it out for a week. Developed by Intuition Robotics, ElliQ is a companion robot for older adults that consists of a small animatronic robotic head that lights up and moves alongside an attached tablet display.

It initiates conversations on its own, suggests activities like games and light exercise, helps facilitate video calls and messages with family members, and checks in throughout the day to encourage engagement. ElliQ came with straightforward instructions and was simple to set up. Afterward, I gave my mom only a brief introduction.

This advance offers important signals about the future of the sector, and the tech world is watching closely.