Vekks is a home healthcare assistant, a semi-autonomous, open source robot -- or "Nudgebot" -- that assists caregivers and disabled patients in keeping their therapies on track.

The project has grown in response to the dramatic changes in my mother's life after she recently suffered a devastating stroke. She survived the stroke, but needs nearly round-the-clock care, and is now largely confined to a wheelchair. Her partial recovery is due to the intensive physical therapy she's received since her stroke. However, this kind of therapy is extremely expensive. For most families, maintaining the level of rehab support actually needed is financially impossible.

What caregivers, home aides, and the patients need is a low-cost way to keep them on track. A personal trainer, if you will, to maintain a schedule, remind them of the type of rehab task for the day, a way to prod and nudge them consistently. Technology can help. Thus, Vekks, the home healthcare robot.