Japan has a rapidly aging population, along with the longest life expectancy in the world. These two factors combine to create one of the biggest problems the country’s healthcare system faces. In the coming years, it will become more difficult to provide quality care to an increasingly elderly demographic. And while a worldwide shortage of nurses means Japan isn’t the only country facing this problem, the country is nonetheless leading the way in developing robots that can assist nurses with the enormous workloads they handle on a daily basis.

The latest example is from researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology, in Japan. They have developed Terapio, a medical robotic assistant that relieves nurses from some of the mundane tasks of collecting patient data and vital signs. This allows the nurses to give more personal attention to the patient.

Electronic Medical Records (EMR) have been implemented in most Japanese medical facilities, making it much easier and faster to access records and medical histories of patients. However, the task of manually entering data into EMR systems remains time consuming.

To relieve that problem, Terapio is programmed to follow a nurse as he or she makes the rounds. There’s a touch display panel on the top to input collected data straight into the patient’s EMR. Patient records, history, and medications are available instantly on the robot’s display for reference. Terapio can recognize possible allergies and potentially dangerous medication interactions. And naturally, when not displaying data, the display shows the robot’s “face,” which offers a friendly smile and can change the shape of the eyes to convey emotion.

Terapio has three modes of operation: “Power Assist” allows the device to be maneuvered by applying slight force to a power-assist handle; “Tracking” lets Terapio automatically follow the nurse around, avoiding any objects or collisions on its own; and “Rounds,” which hints at the possibility of the robot making rounds by itself to collect data in some manner, or just check on the patient. A camera would allow for remote viewing by the medical staff. Toyohashi University professor Ryosuke Tasaki says, “An ongoing daily effort to incorporate high-tech robotics into our activities will be the best way to realize life in our future society.”

Earlier this year, Japan demonstrated the latest generation of RIBA, the Robobear medical assistant robot. RIBA’s nickname, Robobear, comes from the large teddy-bear-like head that sits atop the robot. Developed over six years ago, RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance) is designed to gently lift patients into or out of bed, and help them move from a sitting position to standing. The robotic assistant can also carefully lift patients from a wheelchair and place them in the bed.

Robotic nursing assistants aren’t just for the elderly. Japan’s location makes it susceptible to natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, which can affect the entire population. In the future, robotic nursing assistants such as Terapio and RIBA will play a larger role in the country’s disaster recovery plans. Hopefully, you won’t be laying in a hospital bed any time soon — but if you do, don’t be surprised if the next smiling face you see belongs to a robot.