Rethinking Independent Living: Students Design AI Solution
A Cedarville senior design team is developing Alfred, a voice-controlled assistive robot for older adults living alone. Designed to detect falls, spot hazards, give reminders and alert caregivers, it aims to support safe, independent aging in place.
A single fall can turn independent living into a medical emergency, especially for older adults living alone. To help address this growing safety challenge, a Cedarville University senior design team is developing an autonomous, voice-controlled assistive robot designed to help older adults remain safe and independent in their homes.
Assistive robot for older adults aims to support independent living
The robot, called Alfred, is being created in response to a rapidly aging population and a widening global care gap. In the United States alone, the number of adults age 65 and older is projected to reach 82 million by 2050. At the same time, more than 8 million adults who need help with daily activities currently receive no in-home support, raising concerns among health care providers, policymakers and families about how those needs will be met.
Aging-in-place technology addresses caregiver shortages
That growing gap cannot be filled by human caregivers alone. As the Cedarville team is discovering, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics may help provide scalable, in-home assistance for older adults who want to age in place while maintaining dignity and autonomy.
The project is being developed as part of the students’ capstone design experience. Alfred is designed to assist users through natural spoken interaction, offering help with routine daily tasks while monitoring safety risks inside the home.
Computer engineering students build Alfred assistive robot
Once completed, Alfred will be able to locate and identify common household objects, provide voice-based reminders for important tasks such as taking medications, detect falls and notify caregivers and emergency responders in the event of a fall. The team is continuing to test and refine the system to improve accuracy and reliability.
“There’s a growing gap between the number of elderly people who want to live independently and the support that’s available to them,” said Ebenezer, the project’s team lead. “Projects like Alfred are one way to help close that gap. We focused on making Alfred as easy to use and accessible as possible. That’s why it’s primarily voice-controlled — so older adults don’t have to deal with touchscreens or complex interfaces.”
Comparing Alfred to consumer home robots like Amazon Astro
As part of the design process, the team researched existing consumer robots on the market, including Amazon’s Astro, which is designed primarily for home security and remote monitoring. While those systems offer limited support, the Cedarville students concluded that many commercially available robots do not adequately address the safety needs of older adults living alone.
“When we looked at existing home robots, many focused on simple companionship features but didn’t go far enough on safety,” said Ebenezer. “Because our target users are elderly individuals living on their own, we knew we had to prioritize features like fall detection and hazard detection.”
AI and robotics combine computer vision and audio processing
To accomplish these goals, the team integrated multiple forms of artificial intelligence into Alfred’s system. The robot combines high-performance AI computing with flexible embedded controls, using computer vision and audio processing to recognize objects, identify hazards and determine the direction of a speaker’s voice.
Although Alfred remains a prototype, the project highlights how Cedarville students are applying their advanced engineering skills to real-world challenges with global relevance. By combining technical expertise with a human-centered design approach, the team is gaining experience that prepares them to contribute to the future of assistive technology, health care innovation and aging-in-place solutions.
About Cedarville University
Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.