HOALOHA ROBOTICS

Hoaloha is Hawaiian for "caring companion." Believing that personal robots offer the opportunity to empower individuals who may require assistive with daily living activities, Hoaloha Robotics is developing socially assistive robot companions to interact and enable them to better keep track of important events and activities, communicate with others more effectively, stay informed, and even entertain themselves. By combining the best of conventional technologies with the innovative design of nat... ural interfaces and autonomous operation, Hoaloha's companion robots provide a dimension beyond what can be delivered by PCs, tablets, and smartphones, yet can also integrated with them and the increasing number of health related monitoring devices and services. While Hoaloha's companion robots are primarily designed to directly support individuals, they are not intended as replacements for human caregivers. Instead the technology augments an individual's cognitive and physical function, enabling them to better maintain their own independence and wellness, but also enhancing their ability to communicate with their social network and caregiving network. Based in Seattle, Washington, Hoaloha Robotics was founded in 2010 by Tandy Trower, an experienced, long-time executive in the personal computer industry and a leader and proponent of user-centered design. Having founded Microsoft’s robotics initiative, he has also been a featured speaker at conferences and events on the market and opportunities for emerging robotics technology.More