Presentria is developing a multilingual AI companion that uses familiar telephone calls to help older adults maintain social connection and communicate in their preferred language.
— Presentria, a Toronto based technology company founded by Seneca Polytechnic professor Dr. Ken Wong, is developing a multilingual AI companion designed to help older adults maintain regular social connection through a familiar technology: the telephone. The platform is designed for seniors who may face barriers associated with smartphones, applications, passwords, and screen based technology.
The Presentria AI Companion for Elders can place scheduled daily calls, receive calls from seniors, and support conversations in multiple languages. The company says the system currently supports 10 languages, with an Inuktitut companion in development as an 11th language.
A Telephone Based Approach to Senior Connection
The idea for Presentria’s elder companion emerged after Dr. Wong experienced a period of recovery at Shouldice Hernia Hospital. During that time, he reflected on how easily an older adult could experience isolation without someone available to check in regularly.
That experience led to a practical question: whether an AI voice companion could provide a consistent point of contact through a technology older adults already know.
Presentria was subsequently developed around scheduled telephone conversations. Seniors do not need to download an application or learn a new digital interface. An AI companion can call at a scheduled time, while seniors can also initiate a conversation when they want to talk.
The platform is intended to provide companionship rather than replace family members, friends, caregivers, or professional services. Presentria says its system is not designed to provide medical, legal, or financial advice.
The company is also developing caregiver features. With the appropriate designation, caregivers can receive SMS or email alerts when a conversation raises a potential concern. A Weekly Family Digest is designed to provide loved ones with a summary of selected interactions.
Multilingual Companions Designed for Familiar Communication
Language is a central part of Presentria’s approach. The company has developed individual AI companions associated with different languages and given each one a distinct name.
The current companions include Margaret for English, François for French, Carmen for Spanish, Maria for Italian, Ling for Cantonese, Yulan for Mandarin, Soon-ja for Korean, Kazuko for Japanese, Saathi for Punjabi, and Raha for Farsi. Isuma, the Inuktitut companion, is currently in development.
Presentria says the multilingual approach is intended to make conversations more familiar for older adults who may prefer to communicate in a language other than English or French. For seniors who have spent decades using a particular language with family and community, language can remain closely connected to identity, memories, and everyday communication.
The platform’s voice first design also removes several common technology requirements. Seniors can interact through a telephone rather than relying on a smartphone screen, application menus, passwords, or other digital interfaces.
From a Professor’s Dining Room to a Working Prototype
Dr. Wong developed the Presentria project alongside his academic career. He is a marketing professor at Seneca Polytechnic with more than two decades of teaching experience in Canadian higher education. His professional work includes marketing, artificial intelligence, digital learning, and Industry 5.0.
He has also taught graduate level subjects related to artificial intelligence and has written about human centered innovation and applications of emerging technology.
Presentria was not initially developed inside a large corporate technology laboratory. Dr. Wong, a first generation immigrant from Hong Kong, designed and coded the working prototype himself while continuing his academic responsibilities.
In 2020, he received the Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities’ Award of Excellence for his work supporting students during the COVID 19 pandemic.
His academic background has influenced the development of Presentria, particularly its emphasis on human centered technology. Rather than requiring older adults to adapt to increasingly complex digital tools, the platform is being designed around a communication method already familiar to them.
Developing AI Around Defined Boundaries
Presentria is also being developed with defined boundaries around how the AI companion interacts with seniors. The company says its system is intended to encourage appropriate conversations and avoid presenting itself as a substitute for professional or personal care.
The platform is designed to remember information from previous conversations, allowing subsequent calls to maintain continuity. Presentria says this conversational memory can help create a more consistent experience for seniors who speak with the same companion regularly.
The caregiver features are intended to provide another layer of awareness for families. Rather than requiring a family member to be present for every interaction, the system can provide designated caregivers with selected updates and alerts.
Presentria is currently exploring pilot initiatives and partnerships with organizations involved in senior care, community health, aging services, telecommunications, and related fields. The company says real world feedback will help inform further development across languages and communities.
Expanding Access Through Familiar Technology
For Dr. Wong, Presentria represents a broader approach to innovation for older adults. The project is based on the idea that useful technology does not always require another screen or application.
“This is my last major project before retirement,” Dr. Wong says. “I am not building Presentria to scale and exit. I am building it because it matters.”
The company is developing the platform primarily for potential use with long term care homes, community health centres, municipal aging services, telecommunications providers, and pharmacy networks. A family tier is also planned to allow individuals to enroll a loved one directly.
As development continues, Presentria is seeking pilot partners, researchers, grant opportunities, and early stage investment to gather feedback and evaluate the platform across different languages and senior communities.
About Presentria
Presentria is a Toronto, Ontario, Canada based technology company developing applications of artificial intelligence and advanced computing. Its work includes technology designed to support education, communication, and human centered applications of emerging technology.
Presentria’s current AI Companion for Elders project focuses on multilingual voice based conversations delivered through familiar telephone technology. The company is developing the platform for potential use by older adults, families, caregivers, and organizations serving aging communities.
For more information, visit presentria.ai. Presentria can also be found on LinkedIn and Facebook, or contacted by email at ken.wong@presentria.ca.
Contact Info:
Name: Dr. Ken Wong
Email: Send Email
Organization: Presentria
Website: https://presentria.ai/
Release ID: 89203932
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