HTC Elderverse: Vision & AI in Senior Tech at CES [2024]

When it comes to aging, the concept often has negative connotations. But what if we view the circumstances of aging as challenges that can be overcome with technology, allowing tech to help seniors achieve vitality despite old age? Could tech nhelp redefine what it means to be a senior citizen? HTC's announcement at CES 2024 of the "Great American Elderverse," an immersive VR therapy program launched in North America, is a beacon of hope in this space.

Elderverse: Immersive Experiences Enhancing Elderly Cognitive and Emotional Health

The program is a collaborative effort between HTC, AT&T, VIVE's global partner Mynd Immersive, and the Consumer Technology Association Foundation (CTAF). This program aims to introduce Mynd Immersive's immersive VR therapy to over 500 underserved elderly communities, with support from VIVE's expanding product line, including the VIVE Flow, VIVE XR Elite, and VIVE Focus 3. Mynd Immersive, formerly known as MyndVR, is a tech company dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the elderly through virtual reality solutions.

The vision of Elderverse is to create a virtual world filled with love and care, where immersive experiences can improve the psychological, physical, emotional, and cognitive health of senior citizens. In this digital realm, seniors can explore meditation islands, play games, and travel the world within a safe and comfortable community.

Research shows that senior citizens can improve their mental, physical, emotional, and cognitive health through immersive VR experiences.

When the mind is not confined by the physical environment or the capabilities of the body, wandering in a novel yet safe setting can alleviate the negative feelings associated with old age. Recent research from Stanford University indicates that elderly individuals and their caregivers who used Mynd Immersive's VR solutions experienced significant cognitive improvements. After using VR, 57.9% of the elderly felt less isolated from the outside world, and 81.5% of caregivers preferred interacting with residents during its use.

HTC VIVE further supports the program by donating the lightweight VIVE Flow immersive glasses to participating communities. Cher Wang,Chair and CEO of HTC, stated that HTC VIVE's collaboration with Mynd Immersive to pursue technological innovation and enhance the quality of life for senior citizens has been a core goal of their partnership for years.

With the impact of an aging and the growing "super-aged" population, technology for elderly care is gaining tremendous market attention. Taking Taiwan as an example, the value of the elderly care technology industry is expected to increase from 250 billion to over 300 billion New Taiwan dollars by 2025. Besides HTC, this trend is also evident in other products showcased at CES 2024.

GyroGlove: Helping Parkinson's Patients Regain Daily Function

GyroGlove uses physical principles to counteract hand tremors, a clever approach indeed!

Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurological disorder more common in the elderly, typically manifests around the age of 58 with symptoms such as hand tremors that can significantly disrupt daily life.

The GyroGlove developed by GyroGear incorporates a gyroscope to help counteract hand tremors. Data from the experimental phase of the product's development shows a reduction of tremors by up to 90%, offering a new direction in treatment. With the glove, patients can potentially regain some self-care abilities, such as buttoning clothes, writing, and even cooking!

OcuLenz XR Headset: Addressing Vision Loss from Macular Degeneration

Apart from Parkinson's disease, age-related macular degeneration is a common condition among the elderly and a leading cause of blindness. Unlike cataracts, which can be treated and cured with fairly standard surgery, current treatments for macular degeneration can only hope to slow the disease's progression.

Ocutrx has taken a unique approach to treat this disease with its XR device OcuLenz. The device is designed for patients with retinal degeneration, which leads to central vision loss (while peripheral vision remains unaffected).

Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, OcuLenz overlays high-contrast images and shifts them to the peripheral vision to compensate for the loss in the central field.

OcuLenz is also suitable for remote medical consultations and offers interpupillary distance adjustments to prevent dizziness. It is expected to launch in North America in the first half of 2024.

Both devices represent a departure from conventional treatments, offering direct solutions to specific problems. Though they are expected to launch with an expected price tag of nearly $6,000 each, the good news is that in North America, insurance may cover at least part of the cost. And there is also hope for their introduction and widespread use in Taiwan.

ElliQ: An AI Companion to Alleviate Loneliness

If Elderverse offers a realistic virtual world for seniors to explore and feel less alone, then ElliQ, developed by Intuition Robotics, is a real-world companion.

ElliQ resembles a mushroom-shaped lamp that can light up and rotate its "head," converse with users, or remind them to take their medication. Its adjacent screen can serve as a museum, street, or travel guide, lead users in exercise, and facilitate video calls. With ElliQ, one can enjoy an espresso in the morning while admiring Italian scenery and chatting with the device, accompanied by its music.

The third generation ElliQ combines generative AI, getting closer to our idea of a companion.

ElliQ has been on the market since 2022, and the third generation announced at CES 2024 features generative AI for more dynamic and immersive conversations and activities. Additionally, Intuition Robotics has developed safeguards to prevent inappropriate content or AI hallucinations.

All of these new products and projects help to improve either mental or physical health; solving medical challenges of the past with innovations in tech and creative imagination. For Taiwan, which is on the brink of becoming a super-aged society—where the elderly make up 20% of the total population—these innovations hold great market potential and could even become part of standardized elderly care. Looking ahead, by utilizing VR and AI, we can all expect to go into old-age with a brand new outlook, with a perspective that makes having silver hair a badge of honor that signifies new exciting possibilities!