{
  "id": 14253581,
  "title": "This is Zora, the robot keeping elderly people company, snapped by a Wellcome Prize-winning photographer",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/this-is-zora-the-robot-keeping-elderly-people-company-snapped-by-a",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-13T17:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Digital Camera World",
    "slug": "digital-camera-world",
    "url": "https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/photography/awards-and-competitions/this-is-zora-the-robot-keeping-elderly-people-company-snapped-by-a-wellcome-prize-winning-photographer"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "As the global population ages, the United Nations projects that the number of people over 60 will more than double to 2.1 billion by 2050. This demographic shift raises concerns about potential workforce shortages in healthcare services to meet the increasing demands of elderly care. In 2019, a nursing facility in Jouarre, France, on the outskirts of Paris, presented a striking scenario captured by Ukrainian photojournalist Dmitry Kostyukov for a photography competition. In this scene, an elderly woman engaged with Zora, a compact 58cm-tall robot designed to provide entertainment, communication support, and exercise sessions. The robot, under the supervision of a nurse, sparked an unexpected response from the patients. According to Kostyukov, many developed emotional attachments to Zora, treating it like a baby and engaging in affectionate behavior. While Zora Bots, the company behind the robot, envisions its technology as a potential solution to alleviate staff burdens, some healthcare professionals and researchers express concerns about the risks of replacing human caregivers with robots. These risks include further isolating vulnerable individuals or infantilizing elderly patients by treating them like children. The photograph of Zora, taken by Kostyukov, earned him the \"Medicine in Focus\" category in the 2019 Wellcome Photography Prize, a prestigious competition that bridges science and society. The competition organizers are currently accepting entries for the 2027 edition, with a prize of £10,000 (approximately $13,000 or AU$19,000). Submissions can be made on their official website before the deadline of 11:59 GMT on October 21.",
  "summary": "Ukrainian photojournalist Dmitry Kostyukov captured the award-winning scene during the robot's trial phase at a French nursing facility in 2019 – and with the 2027 awards entry period about to close, it’s your last chance to submit an image",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}