No Isolation creates communication tools to put an end to loneliness

by Startacus Admin

The lowdown on No Isolation, the startup that's using technology to tackle loneliness and social isolation through warm technology...

Social isolation and loneliness are prevalent issues in our society. They pile on top of people’s depression, they add to the burden of those with long-term illness, they lie in wait for the elderly. They can be brought about by the simplest of things, like unemployment, as well as deeper and more complex issues.

Social isolation and loneliness do not discriminate against a particular age, gender, orientation, ethnicity, social class, or anything else. Social isolation and loneliness may sound like small problems, but they impact both mental and physical health, increasing the risk of stroke by 32%, the risk of heart disease by 29%, and the risk of early mortality by 26%. In the UK alone in 2016, the Red Cross found that 9 million people said they felt lonely, often or always. In a world of nearly 9 billion, no one should have to feel lonely.

Oslo-based startup No Isolation has taken on the significant undertaking of bringing about an end to social isolation and loneliness. They are starting in an area deeply personal to co-founder and CEO, Karen Dolva: ill children.

In the UK, 72,000 children are missing out on their education because of a long-term illness. No Isolation’s first product, AV1 changes that.

AV1 is a telepresence robot that acts as the child’s eyes, ears, and voice in the classroom, allowing them to learn and participate almost as fully as though they were physically present.

AV1 has different eye expressions that can be used to express confusion, sadness, and happiness, and if a confused robot isn’t enough to get the teacher’s attention, there is a ‘raise hand’ function that makes the robot’s head flash blue to let the teacher know the child has a question. Its head rotates 360 degrees, as well as up and down, so that the whole classroom can be viewed. There is also a whisper mode for the child to talk to someone nearby without disrupting the teacher. All data is encrypted so that no one else can access the video and audio between the child and robot.

No Isolation’s second product is for the elderly, and care homes in particular. KOMP is a single-dial, large-screen device designed for those who did not grow up with technology.

KOMP allows family and friends to send photos directly to their loved ones with a caption, in a similar way as you would upload to social media, keeping them involved with your life. You can send messages directly to the display and make video calls that automatically connect after a 10-second countdown. Because KOMP only has one dial for power and volume, all the user needs to do is turn it up! KOMP is continually being improved according to user feedback, and No Isolation has started to add widgets, beginning with a weather forecast.

Social isolation and loneliness are bigger issues than people tend to think, and it’s great to see another startup taking on the challenges that others leave to stagnate or worsen. We look forward to seeing what No Isolation brings out next!

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Published on: 9th June 2019