Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers Interview
Capuchin monkeys are fast learners. That makes them special service animals. Capuchin service monkeys are also different from other primates, as they’re not aggressive. In addition, these monkey helpers are very friendly and eager. So in addition to being fast learners, capuchin monkeys make excellent companions for disabled people.
Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers is on a mission to provide innovative technologies and quality-of-life opportunities to those living with physical disabilities.
Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers raises and trains capuchin monkeys to assist people living with spinal cord injuries or other mobility impairments.
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November 29, 2022
Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers Offer Assistance for the Disabled Community
#441 Great.com Talks With... Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers
A monkey helper offers excellent companionship. However, the right way to offer assistance to the disabled community is through technology. Anything from robotics to smart home technologies can replace the human-animal bond from Capuchin monkeys. To explain how that works, we talked to Diane Nahabedian, Executive Director at Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers.
Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers is a non-profit organization that makes it its mission to improve the quality of life of members of the disabled community. The organization went through a change in 2020 when it moved away from the "Helper Monkeys" model to assist disabled people through technology.
From Service Monkeys to Technology
Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers doesn't just abandon its monkey helpers; they are committed to taking care of its post-service monkeys until the end of their natural lives. The monkeys will remain in natural care in the organization's monkey living center where they have everything they need to live a brilliant life.
Now, the organization looks towards innovative technologies to serve the wider physical disability community. Through the use of robotic arms, exoskeletons, adaptive wheelchairs, and home-assistive technologies, the organization looks to improve the quality of life of members of the disabled community.
Listen to the whole interview to find out how Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers transitions from special service monkeys to innovative technologies to achieve its goal. They're a non-profit organization and they rely on donations.
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