Others see the robots as a new means of mobility for the elderly, allowing them to stay in better contact with friends and family and visit museums and theaters, among other possible applications.

Jitterbug, an American mobile operator that offers easy-to-use phones for the elderly, recently added more health services; rival mobile carriers are doing much the same.

In a saturated market for mobile phones, Japan's second-biggest mobile company, KDDI, has had success among older people with its Tu-ka phone, selling more than 100,000 subscriptions.