Suncheon-si Dreams of Becoming a Leading Robot Welfare City

Published 10 Nov.2023 11:30(KST)

Seminar on Effectiveness Verification for Leap to Robot City

"Only when both disabled and non-disabled people are not excluded by robots can we truly advance as a world-class robot city."

Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) successfully held the "Welfare Robot Ecosystem Expansion Seminar" on the 7th to verify the effectiveness of the disability independence support program.

[Photo by Suncheon City]

As part of the 2023 Socially Vulnerable Benefit Support Project, this seminar was held to verify the effectiveness of the robot demonstration project targeting welfare facility users and to report on Suncheon City's welfare robot operation cases. The opinions of expert committee members from industry, academia, and research were added for effectiveness verification, laying the foundation for the expansion of the welfare robot ecosystem in 2024.

The seminar began with a report on the progress of Suncheon City's Socially Vulnerable Benefit Support Project, followed by presentations on the operation of the Welfare Robot Hub Center by the Jeonnam Eastern Region Lifelong Education Support Center for People with Developmental Disabilities, and robot demonstration cases such as emotional support at the Suncheon Milal Daycare Center.

Subsequently, the professional effectiveness verification by 13 expert committee members proceeded in the order of "robot usability, pre- and post-use interviews, and user robot operation verification." The experts participating in the robot effectiveness verification unanimously evaluated that "the robot program had a very positive effect on actual users' satisfaction and cognitive improvement."

Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu of Suncheon said, "Robots play a significant role in alleviating the isolation and depression of socially vulnerable groups," adding, "We will actively promote customized welfare robot projects tailored to the needs of socially vulnerable people."

Meanwhile, Suncheon City plans to hold a robot experience event themed "Early Merry Christmas Party with Sunbot" at the end of November to enhance citizens' awareness of robots.