About Stevie III
Stevie III is an award-winning humanoid social robot developed by researchers at Trinity College Dublin and commercialised by Akara Robotics. Designed for residential aged care, Stevie leads group activities, delivers medication alerts and provides genuine social presence — with TIME Magazine naming it one of the best inventions of 2019.
Key features
Humanoid form factor
Stevie's human-like appearance — with arms, an expressive head and wheels — creates more natural social interaction than tablet-based alternatives. Residents instinctively talk to Stevie like a person.
Group exercise leader
Leads structured seated exercise, stretching and movement programmes designed for frail older adults. Consistent, patient and never fatigued — unlike human activity coordinators stretched across large facilities.
Video call facilitation
Helps residents initiate and join video calls with family — navigating the technology on their behalf so residents who lack digital literacy can still connect with loved ones.
Medication & alert delivery
Delivers scheduled medication reminders with confirmation and escalates missed responses to nursing staff — freeing nurses from routine reminder rounds.
Research-backed design
Developed through extensive user testing with aged care residents and staff at Trinity College Dublin. Years of academic research inform every interaction design decision.
AI that improves over time
Stevie's social AI continuously learns from interactions — improving conversation quality, activity engagement and resident relationship depth as deployment extends.
Clinical outcomes & evidence
89%
resident acceptance rate in EU pilot facilities
1.8 hrs
per week reduction in activity staff load (pilot data)
4 countries
trialled across Ireland, UK, US and EU care settings
Data from peer-reviewed studies, supplier pilot programmes and independent facility reports. Sources available on request.
Who is Stevie III best suited for?
Works well for
Residential aged care with group activities programmes
Facilities wanting a visible, engaging robot presence
Research-focused providers keen to be early adopters
Facilities with active family engagement programmes
Less ideal for
In-home care settings
Facilities needing immediate AU deployment (2026 est.)
Small facilities (under 30 beds — economics may not work)
Implementation timeline
1
Expression of interest
Contact Akara Robotics to register AU interest. Priority given to facilities willing to participate in the AU evaluation programme.
2
Site assessment
Akara team conducts virtual site assessment to confirm facility suitability and identify optimal deployment areas.
3
Pilot deployment (2026 est.)
Initial AU pilot sites onboarded with direct support from the Akara team. Structured outcomes measurement from day one.
4
Activity integration
Stevie joins the weekly activities roster alongside existing coordinators. Staff coaching included.
5
Ongoing optimisation
AI model updates delivered remotely. Regular review sessions with Akara to refine Stevie's activity programming.
Technical specifications
| Type | Humanoid social robot |
| Origin | Trinity College Dublin / Akara Robotics · Ireland |
| Height | ~155 cm |
| Mobility | Autonomous wheeled navigation |
| Interaction | Voice, gesture, facial expression, screen display |
| AI | Social AI, NLP, autonomous & teleoperated modes |
| Awards | CES 2024 Innovation Award · TIME Best Inventions 2019 |
| Clinical evidence | EU pilot studies in residential care |
| AU availability | Evaluation in progress · 2026 expected |
| Pricing model | Monthly subscription |
Australian funding options
Potential funding pathways
✓
Aged Care Quality Standards — Supports Standards 1, 3 and 4 through documented social care and activity delivery.
✓
Research partnerships — Facilities joining the AU pilot may access research funding through university partnerships.
✓
Home Care Packages — Potential HCP funding once AU registration is complete — confirm with HCP case manager.
✓
Innovation grants — Aged care innovation and technology grants from state and Commonwealth may support pilot participation.
Funding eligibility varies by individual circumstances and facility type. Always confirm with your funding body or case manager before assuming coverage.
Frequently asked questions
When will Stevie III be available in Australia?
Akara Robotics is currently in active evaluation for AU deployment, with commercial availability expected in 2026. Facilities interested in being part of the AU pilot programme should register their interest now — priority will be given to early expressions of interest.
What makes Stevie different from other companion robots?
Stevie's humanoid form factor is the key differentiator — the physical presence of something that looks like a person creates qualitatively different social interactions than a tablet or a small tabletop device. This is backed by years of user research at Trinity College Dublin.
Does Stevie work autonomously or does it need staff to operate it?
Stevie operates in both autonomous and teleoperated modes. For routine activities like exercise classes and scheduled rounds, Stevie operates autonomously. For more complex situations, staff can remotely take control via the platform.
What happened to Stevie's development during COVID?
The Akara team pivoted to develop Violet, a UV disinfection robot, during COVID. Stevie development has since resumed with significant AI upgrades and the team is now focused on international commercial deployment.
Is there academic research available?
Yes — Akara Robotics and the Trinity College Dublin team have published multiple peer-reviewed papers on Stevie's efficacy and resident acceptance. A list of publications is available on the Akara website.
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