JAZE
JAZE is an empathetic AI companion for elderly people, offering private, judgment-free emotional support through natural, comforting conversation.
Challenge
Smart Countryside Scouts
How can Smart Country Scouts be designed to systematically record existing infrastructure in public spaces?
Team
Jord van Nederveen, Elias Wetzel, Zhifei Lyu, Ahmed Magdy Ibrahim Elsayed Hassan
About the prototype
JAZE is a conversational AI robot prototype designed to support lonely elderly through transparent, ethical, and emotionally safe human–robot interaction. The robot combines autonomous navigation with an AI-driven conversational system that focuses on non-judgmental listening, simple language, and emotional comfort. A key feature is its status lightbar, which visually communicates whether the robot is listening, thinking, or speaking, reducing misunderstandings and interruptions. JAZE uses an AI-generated avatar and natural voice to create an engaging dialogue without attempting to replace human relationships. Technically, the prototype is built on ROS and edge AI computing to ensure real-time responses and data privacy, with no personal data stored in the cloud. Designed as open-source and modular, JAZE can be extended with additional features while maintaining strict ethical boundaries, making it suitable as a supportive companion rather than an autonomous caregiver.
Outputs
Pitch Team JAZE
Documentation Team JAZE
Website JAZE