Aging population benefits from policy support, development of smart devices, services

　　A resident experiences the X-SPA Rehabilitation Therapy Robot from Agile Robots at an elderly care institution in Beijing. CHINA DAILY

　　Sitting on a sofa at his home in Beijing"s Haidian district, a man in his 90s contemplated his next move as he played chess with an artificial intelligence-powered robot. His AI opponent studied the pieces on the board closely, strategized, and occasionally engaged in casual conversation with the elderly man.

　　Shen Tu, a financial professional, said he gifted the AI robot, named Sense, to his chess-loving grandfather about a year ago, because he was too busy to play. The robot, purchased for around 2,000 yuan ($285), offers companionship and has brought his grandfather great joy, he said.