Mercer Island students to demo AI companion robot at local library
Published 12:00 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Special to the Reporter
What if technology could meet you where you are? Mercer Island residents will soon have a chance to find out.
SeBoost (Senior Boosters), a student-led non-profit founded by Mercer Island High School student Ina Song, is hosting a free community demonstration of ElliQ — an AI companion robot designed specifically for older adults — from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on May 27 in the large meeting room at the Mercer Island Library.
SeBoost exists because no senior should feel alone. After working directly with older adults through one-on-one tech support at the library, SeBoost conducted a community survey to better understand the areas where seniors felt they needed the most support. The responses pointed to three major needs: help navigating technology, opportunities for movement and wellness, and more chances for social connection.
In response, SeBoost has been building programs around those needs. Its Senior Tech Support program helps older adults with phones, email, online forms and any tech questions, big or small. The organization is also launching biweekly dance and movement classes for seniors this June. SeBoost also plans to expand into more social events and programming in the future.
This ElliQ demonstration is an extension of that work. Organized in partnership with Intuition Robotics, the company behind ElliQ, the event invites seniors, caregivers, families and interested community members to interact with the technology firsthand and explore how AI might support connection, well-being and a fuller life at home.
Unlike traditional smart speakers that wait for a command, ElliQ proactively reaches out. She starts meaningful conversations, sets and tracks personal wellness goals over time, leads guided breathing and meditation sessions, encourages daily movement, strengthens cognitive sharpness through exercises and brain teasers, and manages medication and appointment reminders — all without complex setup. She also connects older adults to their families, caregivers and a growing community of other ElliQ members. Built on nearly a decade of research and featured in The New York Times for her measurable impact on health and well-being, ElliQ was designed around a simple insight: older adults are more likely to engage with technology when the technology engages them first.
This event aims to offer a welcoming, low-pressure space where seniors and families can explore AI companion robot ElliQ hands-on, learn about companion technology and discover what tools might genuinely support independent aging.
For more information, visit: www.seniorboosters.org and www.elliq.com
