October 14, 2026
Companion robot for older adults moves past pilot: New York State commits another $2.1 million to ElliQ
834 robots in homes, 3,500 applications in the queue: New York State has extended its ElliQ program for another three years.
Beatrice is 89, lives alone in Broome County. "I'm alone for long stretches, many hours, and she's always there," she says of the robot on her table.
The state program has 834 people like Beatrice, while more than 3,500 applications had been filed as of May 2025: demand is four times the supply (NYSOFA and Intuition Robotics report, Feb 1, 2026).
On Oct 10, NYSOFA and Intuition Robotics signed a new three-year, $2.1 million agreement to put more robots in homes.
Then and now. The program launched in June 2022 with state budget funding and placed ElliQ in more than 800 homes. By October 2026, the average user starts a conversation with the robot 48 times a day, up from 29, roughly every 20 waking minutes. 94% of participants feel less lonely, and 97% report improved well-being (NYSOFA press release, Oct 8).
How to get a robot. In the program, ElliQ is not bought: candidates are selected by local Area Agencies on Aging and county offices for the aging, and the only way in is through your local office. Devices are limited, the program runs only in participating counties, and it depends on funding.
Outside the state program, the robot costs $249 upfront plus $59 a month, less with annual or two-year billing (The Senior List review, Dec 11, 2025). It needs Wi-Fi, and the kit includes the robot itself and a detachable tablet with a camera. ElliQ does not contact emergency services: neither by calling 911 nor through a monitoring dispatch center.
The funding is set for three years ahead, through 2029.