KEY POINTS

• 24-year-old mechatronics engineer Grace Brown is the mind behind Abi. The humanoid companion was first developed three years ago in the midst of the isolation challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The humanoid robot's primary function is interacting with aged care residents, and it has the ability to speak in almost 90 languages.
• Data cited by the federal government, estimates that one in five older Australians experience loneliness. The aged care royal commission identified workforce shortages as a major challenge facing the sector, emphasising the demands already placed on stretched thin staff.