Could care for the elderly undergo a robot revolution?

Researchers from Bedfordshire are hoping to create 'culturally aware' robots which could help care for older people.

Academics from the county's university say they could potentially relieve pressures in hospitals and the care industry.

They're working with the Pepper Robot developed by French company Aldebaran .

Professor Irena Papadopoulos, expert in trans-cultural nursing, said:

The £2million project will last for three years and will involve specialist researchers from all over the world and will expand the capabilities of the Pepper robot.

The robot is already widely used throughout Japan.