The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

COVID-19’s influence upon us all has been at times horrific. We have been called upon to do one thing that North Americans are not truly familiar with, and that is to isolate, separate ourselves from our family, friends and community. Stay apart, and be well. Well with these medical suggestions made, a few symptoms of community health have risen. Depression, loneliness and separation anxiety have been experienced by many thousands of us. These symptoms can actually be long lasting conditions, even when COVID-19 has left us, staying with our victimised citizens.

What to do? Well there are the traditional methods to assist those feeling lonely, forgotten, unattached to the rest of us. Our scientists have found a use for AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Once viewed as toys for the well off, robots have become tools of health and safety. Robots within a senior’s room or home can identify and interpret sounds and cues that maybe communicated to listening/collection centres within a senior living home or a private home telling a trained professional a senior or youth is in peril, in need of attention and assistance. Further skills can identify an individual’s psychological presence, that is to say an individual is too noisy, too silent, not moving about. You may think of the commercial where someone falls down and calls out “I have fallen and cannot get up”. These robots can be far greater abilities than that. Through someone’s speech patterns, the robot could evaluate the subject’s mind set, emotions and location.

Research has been going on in British Columbia studying the many uses of AI within senior living communities. Smart Algorithm’s are being developed to detect audio-visual cues, recognise emotion’s, and respond to programmed symptom’s of anxiety and depression. These robots will have the ability to communicate with their subject’s since they will have programmed coping mechanisms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified that loneliness is a significant predictor of depression and anxiety in both older and younger adults, but this loneliness is significantly higher among the elderly. Youth aged 15-24 are more likely than the general population to report mental health due to COVID-19.

Our governmental agencies, industry, Labour and scientific Organisations need to partner together to create a movement of ultimate opportunity. Assist our citizens, create employment opportunities in high tech, move labour towards these high tech positions and fully fund a domestic scientific lead industry here in North America.

STEVEN KASZAB

Bradford, Ontario

February 1, 2022.