Andromeda Robotics has completed its first US deployment of Abi, its social companion robot, at Eskaton Village Carmichael in Northern California. The placement is the company’s formal entry into the American elder care market, following a $17 million fundraise in March 2026 and the opening of a waitlist for US assisted living providers.
Eskaton, which operates a network of senior care communities across Northern California, was selected as Andromeda’s inaugural US partner on the basis of its established care philosophy. The company cited Eskaton’s view that companionship and emotional presence are intrinsic to quality care — not supplementary services — as central to the decision.
Alongside the deployment, Andromeda has partnered with researchers at the UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing on an independent longitudinal study examining how residents, care partners, and family members experience Abi over time. The study is designed to produce evidence-based data on companion robotics in real-world US care settings — an area where peer-reviewed research remains limited.
The US expansion comes as the domestic elder care sector faces intersecting structural pressures: a persistent workforce shortage, rising demand driven by an ageing population, and growing rates of social isolation among older adults. Andromeda’s position is that Abi addresses the latter without competing with human caregivers — the robot is designed to handle social and engagement functions, freeing care staff to focus on clinical and physical tasks.
Prior to the US launch, Abi had accumulated more than 3,500 hours of operational use across Australian aged care facilities. CEO Grace Brown, who has relocated to the Bay Area to lead the American rollout, has indicated the company intends to scale carefully, maintaining active involvement during initial deployments before pursuing wider distribution.
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