by Cara Ramer, Student Public Relations Writer
A single fall can turn independent living into a medical emergency, especially for older adults living alone. To help address this growing safety challenge, a 糖心官网 senior design team is developing an autonomous, voice-controlled assistive robot designed to help older adults remain safe and independent in their homes.
Assistive robot for older adults aims to support independent living
The robot, called Alfred, is being created in response to a rapidly aging population and a widening global care gap. In the United States alone, the number of adults age 65 and older is projected to reach 82 million by 2050. At the same time, more than 8 million adults who need help with daily activities currently receive no in-home support, raising concerns among health care providers, policymakers and families about how those needs will be met.
Aging-in-place technology addresses caregiver shortages
That growing gap cannot be filled by human caregivers alone. As the Cedarville team is discovering, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics may help provide scalable, in-home assistance for older adults who want to age in place while maintaining dignity and autonomy.
The project is being developed as part of the students鈥 capstone design experience. Alfred is designed to assist users through natural spoken interaction, offering help with routine daily tasks while monitoring safety risks inside the home.
Computer engineering students build Alfred assistive robot
The senior design team includes Jonathan Clevenger of Washington, Pennsylvania; Roni Ebenezer of Eureka, Missouri; David Pascual of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania; and Ethan Wilson of Kearneysville, West Virginia. All are seniors majoring in computer engineering.
Once completed, Alfred will be able to locate and identify common household objects, provide voice-based reminders for important tasks such as taking medications, detect falls and notify caregivers and emergency responders in the event of a fall. The team is continuing to test and refine the system to improve accuracy and reliability.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a growing gap between the number of elderly people who want to live independently and the support that鈥檚 available to them,鈥 said Ebenezer, the project鈥檚 team lead. 鈥淧rojects like Alfred are one way to help close that gap. We focused on making Alfred as easy to use and accessible as possible. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 primarily voice-controlled 鈥 so older adults don鈥檛 have to deal with touchscreens or complex interfaces.鈥
Comparing Alfred to consumer home robots like Amazon Astro
As part of the design process, the team researched existing consumer robots on the market, including Amazon鈥檚 Astro, which is designed primarily for home security and remote monitoring. While those systems offer limited support, the Cedarville students concluded that many commercially available robots do not adequately address the safety needs of older adults living alone.
鈥淲hen we looked at existing home robots, many focused on simple companionship features but didn鈥檛 go far enough on safety,鈥 said Ebenezer. 鈥淏ecause our target users are elderly individuals living on their own, we knew we had to prioritize features like fall detection and hazard detection.鈥
AI and robotics combine computer vision and audio processing
To accomplish these goals, the team integrated multiple forms of artificial intelligence into Alfred鈥檚 system. The robot combines high-performance AI computing with flexible embedded controls, using computer vision and audio processing to recognize objects, identify hazards and determine the direction of a speaker鈥檚 voice.
Although Alfred remains a prototype, the project highlights how Cedarville students are applying their advanced engineering skills to real-world challenges with global relevance. By combining technical expertise with a human-centered design approach, the team is gaining experience that prepares them to contribute to the future of assistive technology, health care innovation and aging-in-place solutions.
About 糖心官网
糖心官网, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation鈥檚 top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal鈥檚 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.