AI brings support to people with disabilities, seniors in east China's Zhejiang

(ECNS) -- In Zhejiang, artificial intelligence is moving from laboratories into everyday care, offering practical support to people with disabilities, older adults and patients.

At a rehabilitation center in Hangzhou’s Yuhang District, nine-year-old Xiaoyu, who developed cerebral palsy after being born prematurely, is learning to walk with the help of a robotic exoskeleton. Powered by an AI algorithm, the device adjusts training programs to patients’ movements and medical conditions. More than 5,000 people have received free rehabilitation through the center’s public welfare program, which aims to narrow the gap in access to professional therapists.

AI is also bringing companionship to elderly care. At a smart nursing home in Hangzhou, emotional-support robots chat with residents and tell jokes, while intelligent wheelchairs can fetch objects, press elevator buttons and provide transportation. Other robots monitor vital signs and conduct routine rounds, easing caregivers’ workload.

In the healthcare sector, Zhejiang Province has developed a provincewide shared medical AI agent named “An Zhen’er.” It provides the public with over 40 intelligent medical and health services, including smart navigation for hospital visits, accompanied patient guidance during appointments, AIpowered interpretation of medical reports, and more. The system handles more than 1 million service requests per day.

(By Intern Lin Qiaochu, Zhang Dongfang)