An AI speaker timely rescued a Korean-American senior who had collapsed alone.
On February 12, New York State Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-40th District) announced that Doosoo Yoo (70), a Korean-American senior living in Flushing, was saved by Nugu, an AI smart speaker.
The AI speaker was distributed to 100 Korean-American seniors with $500,000 from the state funding for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and solutions from SK Telecom.
According to Ron Kim’s office, Yoo collapsed on February 8 from an overdose of Zantac, a medication for gastritis.
The Flushing Lizma USA control center called Yoo through his home care manager as he hadn’t responded for more than 42 hours.
Yoo answered the phone and said he was “fine,” but then collapsed. “Ari (the AI’s name), help me,” Yoo said as he collapsed, and the control center immediately called 911 through the home care manager.
Thanks to the AI speaker, Yoo was quickly taken to the hospital and regained stability.
Nugu is produced by South Korea’s SK Telecom and distributed in the U.S. by the nonprofit Lisma Foundation. It is compatible with Amazon Alexa.
The AI speakers that Kim’s office has handed out around Queens are part of a state AI pilot program. State funding was also used to hire home care managers.
The recipients of the speakers were selected based on Medicaid recipients and visitors to senior daycare centers.
Kim’s office called for an expansion of the state’s funding, noting that there are many areas outside of Queens where seniors live.
Efforts are underway to expand Nugu to non-Medicaid recipients as well. “There are also a lot of senior mental health issues, which can be addressed,” said Jiyoon Lim, an aide to Ron Kim’s office, adding, “We need more funding to support more seniors.”
BY MINHYE KANG [kang.minhye@koreadailyny.com]
