A healthcare revolution is being predicted after the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics (ECR) received new funding.

Researchers there are using artificial intelligence to create robots that will learn from their environment, each other - and us.
The ECR is a joint initiative between Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh.
Its new Robotarium will open later this year thanks to Â£8m of support from the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
Now the EPSRC is giving almost Â£1m more to develop four new robots that will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform healthcare and emergency response.
It comes as the centre prepares to host the European Robotics Forum later this week.
Prof Oliver Lemon of Heriot-Watt's computer science department says they are experiencing a great leap forward.
"There have been some really big advances recently in AI, in particular in computer vision and in human language processing," he says.
"It's to do with new machine learning methods that have been developed quite recently - and also much, much faster machines.
"So we're at a point now where these machine learning methods can be integrated with robot platforms."
Even though she is a machine, it is difficult not to think of Pepper as female.
She/he/it stands about 4ft (1m) tall and has a humanoid body, big eyes on a face designed to appeal to humans, and a dancer's hips.
She can indeed dance but that is not her primary function.
Pepper has been funded by the EU in a project to create a socially-intelligent robot.
Before long it will be deployed in a shopping mall in Finland to help people - and people will help Pepper.
Because after the formal programming is complete, Pepper will continue to learn from us.
She is a harbinger of much bigger things.
The ECR is developing robots that can think for themselves - and learn.
This new era of better interaction between humans and robots means involving not just computing and engineering but the social sciences too, according to Dr Katrin Lohan, an assistant professor at Heriot-Watt.
"We are interested in how to develop robots that are programmable by everyone, so that they can learn from us in natural interaction rather than us just sitting there and typing in code," she says.
Robots have long been able to do our dirty work, from sweeping hospital floors to building cars. The addition of artificial intelligence is bringing in researchers from across the disciplines.
Dr Thusha Rajendran, associate professor of psychology at Heriot-Watt's School of Social Sciences, is developing a robot buddy to help adults with autism "read" their work mates' faces.
"Trying to know whether somebody is annoyed with you or pleased with you is difficult even for us," he says.
"What the robot allows you to do is isolate different areas of the face and specifically look at face recognition in a much more fine-grained way, rather than looking at people.
"The robot will have a much more readable face which will then translate for the person with autism into 'what does this person think of me?'".
Prof Lemon has another example of how robots can transform healthcare: spotting skin tumours.
A doctor may have experience of seeing a few hundred at the most.
By feeding a robot images of tumours, it can have "seen" thousands, perhaps millions more than any specialist ever could.
That will not put specialists out of work but it will lead to speedier and more accurate diagnoses.
Across the capital at the University of Edinburgh, a robot called Husky is being trained to go into the sorts of hazardous places we can't.
Husky's chunky frame - moving on four wheels and supporting two powerful but sensitive manipulator arms - was built in Canada.
Superficially it looks a lot like the kind of robots we've been familiar with for years, the kind that handle radioactive material or deal with suspect devices.
But Husky has come here to learn.
Humans are setting out the big parameters and after that Husky is expected to think for itself.
That means it can improvise on the spot even if its controller is out of range.
Another student here is Valkyrie - a huge, humanoid Nasa robot which may one day walk on another world. But not before it's learned much more in Scotland.
Valkyrie can already walk, and is learning to walk better. That experience is feeding into another device: a robotic exoskeleton that will allow people with disabilities to walk again.
All these advances have the same underlying principle: autonomous robots with the ability to teach themselves to operate better.
For Edinburgh University's professor of robotics Sethu Vijayakumar we are at the beginning of a process which will transform how we live and work over the next two decades.
"All of this confluence of robotics, AI, social network systems and knowledge sharing is driving a huge, new revolution," he says.
"We have to invest in that here in the UK, in Scotland, in Edinburgh because if we don't do it here somebody else will do it and we'll be playing catch up."
First came the Internet, then the Internet of Things. You can think of this research as giving those things arms and legs.


Fans have clubbed together to raise Â£3,500 for a goalkeeper who broke his neck on the pitch.

Mark Scott's vertebrae was shattered in a collision with another player during Saturday's match against Basingstoke in Arbour Park.
The Slough Town player said he was "overwhelmed" by the hundreds of tweets he had received from well wishers.
The match was paused for 40 minutes while physiotherapists worked to minimise further injury to his spine.
He was told a sudden movement could have caused instant paralysis.
An operation on Monday fused the footballer's vertebrae and he will be housebound for at least three months.
The money raised in the last 24 hours will compensate him and his girlfriend for missing work.
"I've had hundreds of messages of support," said Mr Scott.
"It's amazing when football goes beyond rivalry and becomes such a community."
The trainee accountant said he would not be able to play football until November after surgeons took bone from his hip and used it to repair his spine.
The 26-year-old said: "I've never heard of anyone breaking his neck [playing] football.
"I was very fortunate. If... there had been no physiotherapists there, I would just have been dragged off the pitch and probably paralysed for life."
Slough Town praised the "professionalism and speed" with which the injured player was treated by both Basingstoke and Slough clubs' physiotherapists.
It said their actions were key in preventing further spinal cord damage.
Mr Scott is expected to make a full recovery.


Italy prop Lorenzo Cittadini has left Premiership side Wasps to join French side Bayonne for the 2016-17 season.

The 33-year-old tighthead had a year left to run on his current deal but was released with the Coventry-based club well stocked in the front-row.
After leaving Treviso for Wasps in 2014, he went onto make 35 Premiership appearances in two seasons.
"Citta has been outstanding for Wasps," director of rugby Dai Young said. "He's a fantastic character to have around."
"Because he's such a good guy and been so good for Wasps, we didn't want to stand in his way when he had the opportunity to secure a longer-term deal elsewhere."
Compatriot Andrea Masi recently retired while Carlo Festuccia also left the club to end the Italian link with the Wasps club.
Cittadini, who has been involved with the Italy side's summer series against the USA, moves to a Bayonne side that just won promotion back to the Top 14 after a season in France's Pro D2.
"It was a very difficult decision to take," Cittadini said. "I feel very sad about leaving the club, but I want to look at this move as a very good opportunity in the last few years of my career.
"It is an exciting step and challenge in my rugby career and it is also a good opportunity for me and my wife as a family."


The entire state of South Australia was without power on Wednesday night after being hit by one of the most extreme storms in 50 years.

More than 1.7 million people live in the state, which is 40% bigger than Texas, covering more than 980,000 sq km (380,000 sq miles).
Here's how the storm and blackout played out.
The South Australia Power Networks issued a statement saying people should "be prepared for possible extended power outages" and that they "expected access issues due to weather".
The forecast predicted wind gusts exceeding 90km/h across much of the state and up to 120km/h in the Adelaide Hills.
Significant thunderstorm activity was also forecast to last for several days.
The storm front hit the state capital, Adelaide, around midday lashing the city with gale force winds and heavy rain.
A low pressure system generated twin tornadoes, which swept across parts of the state, taking out power lines.
The power network authorities had to ask people: "Do not report outages."
A local resident named Paula saw a tornado approaching as she picked up her son from school at Blyth, a small town north of Adelaide.
"I've just never seen anything like it," she said.
"Just the colours in the sky, the greys and purples and the white, and it was just spinning.
"It wasn't like a twister. It was very wide and was just turning in a very fast motion and yeah, it got a bit scary there."
The state-wide power cut hit at around 15:45 local time, plunging towns into darkness.
1.7m
people without power
80,000 lightning strikes
Transport was thrown into chaos at the peak travel time, with planes grounded, trams and trains shut down and traffic gridlock in Adelaide.
In Adelaide, police hit the streets to manage the traffic chaos as traffic lights went out.
The State Emergency Service responded to more than 4,000 incidents before 19:00, as crews worked to clear roads and prevent homes from being flooded.
Hospitals operated on emergency generators and shops and businesses were forced to close.
One woman, identified only as Dee, said she had been on an operating table at Flinders Medical Centre when the power went out.
"Everything just went black, and my blood pressure, I'm sure, went completely through the roof," she told ABC radio.
"I lay there on the table for about an hour while we waited for the Bureau of Meteorology to give some advice as to what was happening."
Some people managed to stockpile candles, batteries and other items to last them throughout the night.
Many locals saw the lighter side of the blackout conditions, making their own fun in indoors.
By Thursday morning, power had been restored to most of the Adelaide metropolitan area.
Twenty-four hours after the blackout power had been restored to 90% of households, with 70,000 people still without electricity.
But about 40,000 people, mostly in the state's north, have been warned power may be off for days.
Opposition leader Steven Marshal said serious questions must be answered by the state government.
South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill defended the handling of the freak storm, saying it was "unprecedented" and that little could have been done to prevent the state-wide power outage.
Influential federal Senator Nick Xenophon called for an independent inquiry, calling the power outage a "disgrace".
Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg triggered a bitter political row after suggesting South Australia's high levels of renewable energy left the state vulnerable.
However, federal opposition leader Bill Shorten said it was "poor form" for the government to make political points about renewable energy while the crisis was ongoing.
On Thursday, the emergency authorities warned people to leave work early, stay at home and stay safe, as conditions were expected to worsen.
The superstorm is expected to move eastwards along the south coast of Australia over the next 24 hours.
Coastal flooding from rising tides, "mean winds" and heavy rain has been forecast to sweep South Australia.
Floods in northern parts of Victoria could rise with heavy rain forecast but Melbourne is tipped to be spared from the deluge.
Similarly, between 40mm to 100mm of rain is expected to hit central parts of New South Wales. Sydney is likely to avoid the worst of the wild weather.
Weather warnings are in place for the Australian Capital Territory and northwest Tasmania.


A company that charged others for uploading video and audio content on to their own websites has had its podcast patent invalidated by a US court.

The Electronic Frontiers Foundation (EFF) argued that Personal Audio LCC had "not invented anything new" when it acquired the patent in 2012.
The practice of buying patents in order to make money out of popular unpatented inventions is known as patent trolling.
Personal Audio had tried to develop a digital audio player in the 1990s.
The product never went on sale.
In 2013, founder James Logan said he had spent $1.6m (£1.2m) on his creation.
"During the life of Personal Audio, I invested $1.6m, and lost it all," he said in a Slashdot interview that is on Personal Audio's website.
"Personal Audio, LLC, the patent holding company, is the attempt by the investor, me, to get a return on that investment.
"When investors like me get our money back, plus some if we're lucky, it means that start-ups are not as risky as they might otherwise be."
However, the patent his company owns is not for one of his inventions.
The technology at the heart of the legal dispute allowed websites to be updated with new video and audio podcasts.
Companies targeted by Personal Audio for using it included the broadcasters CBS, NBC and Fox, and consumer electronics giant Samsung.
However, the EFF said people had already been uploading podcasts before Personal Audio filed for the patent in 2009.
EFF began legal proceedings in 2013 and crowd-funded for costs.
"We're pleased that the federal circuit agreed that the podcasting patent is invalid," EFF lawyer Daniel Nazer said in a statement.
"We appreciate all the support the podcasting community gave in fighting this bad patent."
Personal Audio could seek a review in the Supreme Court, the foundation added.


Police are prosecuting growing numbers of criminals who help motorists dodge speeding penalty points.

Those taking part believe the crime - which often involves blaming fictitious drivers for the offence - is low risk.
But police say it is allowing dangerous drivers to avoid being banned and warn those caught could be jailed.
In one case a man from Greater Manchester was jailed for seven years for helping around 700 motorists avoid penalty points.
He was jailed in January of this year after admitting a string of offences including conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
The case involves one of five alleged speeding point gangs investigated by a specialist unit from Greater Manchester Police in the last two years.
Thames Valley Police are also targeting criminal gangs involved in this type of crime. The police say they are prosecuting both the drivers and those who lie on their behalf.
Greater Manchester Pc Vaughan Davies said: "It does seem to be on the increase that people are paying for this service.
"If you lie on the forms sent to you by the police you face going to prison - all for three points and a £60 fine," he told the BBC's5 live Investigatesprogramme.
When a driver is caught on camera for speeding or going through a red light, the registered owner of the car is sent a notice of prosecution letter asking them who was driving the car at the time.
5 live Investigates was told of a number of different methods used by motorists who seek to avoid having penalty points added to their driving licence.
In some cases motorists will fill in the forms themselves falsely claiming someone else was driving their car; in other cases the forms are given to criminals who put fictitious names and addresses on them.
Criminals have also been caught out after falsely submitting details of people living abroad in the hope that it will be more difficult for police to check their claim.
Find out more on 5 live Investigates on BBC 5 live on Sunday, 18 March at 21:00 GMT or download the programme podcast.
Listen via the BBC 5 live website
Download the 5 live Investigates podcast
Got a story? Contact 5 live Investigates
They also use stalling techniques because they know that in most cases police have only six months in which to take action against the driver and some forces do not have the resources to investigate every case where a driver has claimed someone else was driving their car.
5 live Investigates spoke to a taxi driver who provided false information to the police to allow 150 other drivers to dodge speeding points over a six-year period.
He began doing it for other people after he was caught speeding himself and a friend told him how to avoid having penalty points added to his licence.
Charging motorists £200 a time, he said it was "easy money" for doing something he did not think was wrong at the time.
"It wasn't like I was stealing from a shop or anything," he said.
He has since changed his mind after being caught by police and sent to jail for 16 months for perverting the course of justice.
"I'm not going to do it again, even if someone offered me £1,000 - I don't want to go to prison.
"To be honest, I still get calls today about it and I say 'no, don't talk to me about this'."
Deputy Chief Constable Suzette Davenport from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) says it is important this type of crime is not trivialised.
"The safety of the public on our roads is paramount and for that reason we are dedicated to identifying and prosecuting those who knowingly put others at risk," she told the BBC.
"Those who try to hide offending drivers from us, whether by falsely nominating [another driver] or sharing points with a friend or relative, put the public at risk by helping bad drivers avoid the consequences of their actions.
"Those who do it can expect to go to prison and those who organise such scams for profit will go to prison for many years.
"A new computer database developed by the National Police Improvement Agency is being introduced to make it quicker and easier to establish links across force boundaries," explains Dep Ch Con Davenport.
"This, coupled with increased use of front-facing cameras, will make providing false nominations a very risky business."
Find out more on5 live Investigateson Sunday, 18 March at 21:00 GMT onBBC 5 live.
Listen again via the5 live websiteor by downloading the 5 live Investigatespodcast.


Tottenham striker Harry Kane says he has "no doubts" he will sign a new contract with the Premier League club.

The 23-year-old earns a reported £50,000 a week in a deal running until 2020 and talks have opened with Spurs about improving that.
Despite being out for seven weeks with injury, the England player has scored five goals this term, including two in a  3-2 win over West Ham on Saturday.
"I am happy at the club and want to be here for a long, long time," said Kane.
"We are in talks and I'm sure we will get something sorted. I'm not panicking and I'm not demanding anything as I've read in the paper."
"We're having a conversation and I have no doubts that we will get it sorted," added Kane.
Kane scored 21 times in the top flight in 2014-15 and won the Golden Boot with 25 league goals last season.
After the West Ham match on Saturday, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said Kane was "one of the best strikers in the world".
"Hopefully we will have no issues with the contract - we have only just started talking about it. Get that down and get that wrapped up," said Kane.
"We've got a great young team, new training ground, new stadium being built, great young manager. The future is very bright.
"It's important that we keep hold of all our players and keep building on this great team that we have."
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Cricket is set to introduce sendings-off for the first time next year, while the sizes of bats are to be limited.

Umpires will be given the power to eject players from a game for serious disciplinary breaches.
MCC World Cricket Committee member Ricky Ponting explained that sanctions needed to be implemented.
"We're talking about a significant change to lower-level cricket because it has got completely out of hand down there," the ex-Australia captain said.
MCC (the Marylebone Cricket Club) remains the guardian of the laws and spirit of the game, and its world cricket committee - established in 2006 and comprised of 12 current and former top international players - has been a leading independent voice on the game's major issues.
The new laws will be implemented at all levels of the game from 1 October 2017, subject to approval by MCC's main committee.
According to the proposed new law, agreed at the world cricket committee's meeting in Mumbai, players will be dismissed for:
Ponting added: "It got to the state where something had to happen to prevent those things happening on the international stage.
"The modern player now understands their role in society, about being role models and want to play the game the right way for younger kids."
The committee also debated sanctions including run penalties and sin bins for lesser offences, but decided that it would be difficult to achieve consistency around the world - and may introduce an appendix to the laws in order for governing bodies or leagues to implement their own system.
Following much debate in the last few years over bat sizes, and a call for restrictions from the International Cricket Council in June, specific size limitations to the edge and depth of bats will be added to the laws as the committee believes "the balance of the game has tilted too far in the batsman's favour" - with some mis-hit shots clearing the boundary for six.
Bat edges will have a maximum allowance of 40mm and bat depths must not exceed 67mm (60mm plus an allowance of 7mm for a possible curve on the face of the bat).
"Many of the top players' bats have edges of between 38mm and 42mm, but there are some which have edges of up to 50mm, which was felt to be excessive and in need of restriction," the committee concluded.
While a bat gauge will be used to enforce the new restriction in the professional game, a moratorium will allow amateur player to continue to use their existing bats which may be in breach of the new law.
Catches and stumpings will now be permitted after the ball has struck a helmet being worn by a fielder, or become lodged or trapped in the grille of such a helmet - given that the wearing of helmets by close fielders has been made compulsory at some levels.
However, a ball striking an unattended helmet behind the wicketkeeper will still earn five runs for the batting side.
Among its other discussions:


A floating cinema has taken to Yorkshire's waterways as part Hull's City of Culture celebrations.

Its film programme starts at Victoria Quays in Sheffield before taking in another seven venues along the canals of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.
Projecting films on to a big screen it reaches Hull Marina on 13 August.
The 15-seat cinema will screen On the Bench, by Leeds artist Harry Meadley, whose work inspired films from other countries that will also be shown.
Organisers UP Projects said the programme includes 15 films from nine countries.
On the Bench features conversations with eight people and the other films come from Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Niger, Iran, Ireland, Poland, Italy, Germany the UK and US.
They echo themes of On the Bench, with stories of people finding their way against the backdrop of their own cultures through perseverance and determination.
The cinema will visit Rotherham, Swinton, Doncaster, Thorne, Goole, South Ferriby before reaching Hull.
The idea of a cinema on a customised narrowboat was conceived in 2011 by artists Nina Pope and Karen Guthrie to connect communities during the London Olympics.
A larger boat was designed for the current floating cinema by Duggan Morris Architects in 2013.
Annabel Grundy of Film Hub North said the Yorkshire floating cinema project aims to give "the widest range of cinematic stories from all over the world".
"We are delighted to see a Yorkshire tour of floating films as part of this year's celebrations," she said.
Tickets are free, but can be booked in advance.


An animal rescue centre owner has been found guilty of six cruelty charges after an RSPCA raid.

Lindsay Newell, of Burton-upon-Trent, failed to check the welfare of several animals after they became emaciated.
At Stafford Magistrates' Court she was handed a two-year conditional discharge, banned from keeping certain animals and made to pay £2,000 costs.
The judge said the neglect was not deliberate and she was cleared of 25 charges of failing to feed animals.
The court found Newell did not monitor the weight loss of six animals at Burton Wildlife Rescue and Animal Centre in Etwall, Derbyshire.
One of the animals she failed to check was a pig, nicknamed Babe, who was rescued from a Derby council house and made national headlines.
It died in front of RSPCA officers' eyes during a raid with police in November 2012.
District judge David Taylor said the 27-year-old, of Lincoln Road, Stapenhill, put herself under pressure and financial strain because of her desire to help animals.
"They were not deliberate, intentional acts. They were a consequence of you trying to take on too many animals of a wide range," he said.
The court heard Newell spent £300 a week on food and straw out of her own earnings as a veterinary nurse. She has since lost her job.
Defence lawyer Nigel Weller said his client now wanted to dedicate her life to running the sanctuary.
Newell was disqualified for five years from keeping sheep, goats, pigs and equine animals.
But the rescue centre remains open with hundreds of animals including cats, pigeons, chickens, rabbits and crows.
The RSPCA said it cost £20,000 to investigate the case and bring Newell to court. She will have to pay £2,000 in costs.


Six more men have been arrested in connection with disorder at the end of May's Scottish Cup Final.

The men, aged 17, 20, 22, 29, 39 and 46, were expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Police have now made a total of 76 arrests after violent scenes followed a pitch invasion at Hampden on Saturday 21 May.
The disorder marred the end of the Hibs v Rangers clash, which ended in a 3-2 victory for the Edinburgh side.


Eating a moderate amount of chocolate a day has been linked to a lowered risk of heart disease and stroke.

University of Aberdeen experts looked at the eating habits of more than 20,000 middle-aged and elderly people.
They concluded that compared to those who ate no chocolate, those who ate up to a small bar a day had an 11% lesser risk of cardiovascular disease and a 23% reduced risk of stroke.
But the researchers warned this did not prove chocolate makes you healthier.
The findings, published in the British Medical Journal's "Heart" magazine, were based on data from the EPIC-Norfolk study which is tracking the impact of diet on the long-term health of 25,000 men and women in Norfolk.
The Aberdeen researchers also carried out a review of previously published evidence on the links between chocolate and cardiovascular disease.
Prof Phyo Myint, of the School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Aberdeen, told BBC Scotland: "This is the observational study therefore we can't imply the cause and effect relationship.
"We can't say for sure it could cause these benefits.
"What we observed is the association between the habitual consumption of chocolate, to a maximum of 100g a day, linked to a reduction in incidence of stroke and cardiovascular disease over longer-term follow-up, in this study 12 years."
About one in five (20%) participants said they did not eat any chocolate, but among the others, daily consumption averaged 7g, with some eating up to 100g.
Those who ate the most also tended to be younger, have a lower weight, waist to hip ratio, and blood pressure, and were less likely to have diabetes and more likely to carry out regular physical activity  - all of which add up to a favourable cardiovascular disease risk profile, researchers said.
Eating more chocolate was also associated with higher energy intake and a diet containing more fat and carbohydrates and less protein and alcohol.
Calculations carried out by the researchers suggested that compared with those who ate no chocolate higher intake was linked to an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 25% lower risk of associated death.
It was also associated with a 9% lower risk of hospital admission or death as a result of coronary heart disease, after taking account of dietary factors.
The highest chocolate intake was similarly associated with a 23% lower risk of stroke, even after taking account of other potential risk factors.
The study authors also pointed out that dark chocolate is usually said to have more beneficial effects than milk chocolate, but milk chocolate was more frequently eaten by the Norfolk participants.
Prof Myint said chocolate was rich in fat and carbohydrate so it was important to burn off the calories from eating it.
He said: "The group that showed a benefit consumed 16g to 100g a day of chocolate. Most of them probably consumed around 100g a week rather than 100g a day and the results we see are group effects so we can't say eating 100g a day will do good."
Dr Tim Chico, reader in cardiovascular medicine and consultant cardiologist at the University of Sheffield, said: "This study adds to the evidence that people who consume chocolate tend to have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, although such studies cannot say whether the chocolate is the cause of this protective effect.
"There is evidence from other studies that have randomised people to be given chocolate that this can have effects that might reduce cardiovascular disease, such as a reduction in blood pressure.
"These studies taken together suggest that there might be some health benefits from eating chocolate. However, it is also clear that chocolate has the potential to increase weight, which is unequivocally bad for cardiovascular health.
He added: "The message I take from this study is that if you are a healthy weight, then eating chocolate (in moderation) does not detectibly increase risk of heart disease and may even have some benefit. I would not advise my patients to increase their chocolate intake based on this research, particularly if they are overweight."


A Denbighshire community hospital has been criticised following an "abysmal" food hygiene rating.

Denbigh Infirmary was given a rating of one star out of five by inspectors, meaning "major improvement" is necessary.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said it was "very disappointed" to receive the low rating.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Health, Darren Millar AM, said the low score "beggars belief".
"Under no circumstances should a hospital be scoring this poorly," he said.
"It is an abysmal result and patients and staff will be rightly alarmed.
"For the hospital to score this lowly, there are serious concerns over food safety. That's not acceptable anywhere - but for our hospitals - it beggars belief."
In a statement Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said it was "very disappointed" with the rating and it took rapid action to address the concerns raised.
"An environmental health officer visited the hospital kitchen on the 29 April 2015 and confirmed that we had complied with all the required actions within the notice," the health board said.
"We are now waiting for a re-inspection of the catering facility," it added.
All food outlets must display their food hygiene rating by law.
Earlier this week the catering unit at Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbighshire received a food hygiene rating of two stars out of five, which means "improvement is necessary".
Health officials said they have since addressed issues at the Bodelwyddan general hospital.


Actor Michael Sheen says the core values of the NHS are being undermined.

He made his comments on The Andrew Marr Show, saying: "This is beyond party politics. I think that's partly the point.
"There has been a systematic undermining of the core values of the NHS no matter who has been in power."
Last week Sheen delivered a passionate political speech to a pro-NHS march on St David's Day.
He said: "I think watching party politics snipe against each other, trying to make points against each other all the time, misses the slightly bigger picture that we are starting to become a society that we cannot be proud of.
"I think we really have to take stock of that and make a stand about it."


Top-performing council-run schools in England should be able to play a role in improving struggling schools, the Local Government Association says.

The LGA is calling on the government to remove restrictions which mean a school must have academy status before it can sponsor a school in need of assistance.
The LGA says this would allow councils to intervene much more swiftly when parents raise concerns about a school.
Ministers say becoming an academy is the best way to improve standards.
But David Simmonds, chairman of the LGA's Children and Young People Board, said 80% of maintained schools were rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted inspectors.
These schools were, therefore, in a strong position to help other council controlled schools which were struggling, he told the BBC.
He said that when parents had concerns about standards in a non-academy school, they turned to the local authority for help.
"We could intervene much more swiftly, but there's a requirement that schools convert to academy status before being able to sponsor a struggling school - now that takes time.
"It's a piece of bureaucracy that doesn't need to be there."
Mr Simmonds said the Education and Adoption Bill, which has been presented to and debated in the Commons and is now being examined by the Public Bill Committee, would be an opportunity to remove the restriction.
"For parents, who are far more concerned with the quality of their child's education in the classroom than the legal status of the school, it is the council that they still turn to for advice and support.
"However, their current powers to intervene are strictly limited.
"The Education and Adoption Bill provides the ideal opportunity to right this wrong and should allow councils and the best maintained schools to share expertise and provide support to school leadership teams to ensure standards rapidly improve."
But the government says the bill will "remove bureaucratic and legal loopholes" that slow down the process of turning failing schools themselves into academies.
A spokesman for the Department for Education said: "We are clear that the most effective way of bringing about rapid and sustained improvement is to become an academy with the support of a strong sponsor.
"All good and outstanding schools have the freedom to convert to academy status either as standalone converters or as part of a multi-academy trust to share their expertise with other schools.
"Academies are a vital part of our plan for education and the advantages and freedoms enjoyed by these schools are transforming the education of millions of pupils across the country."
Academies are publicly funded schools outside local authority control. There are more than 4,500 academies in England, with hundreds more in the pipeline.
More than half of all secondary schools are now academies.
Under the Academies Bill 2010,  all maintained schools in England can to apply to become academies.


The US will not accept China's militarisation of man-made islands in the South China Sea, Defence Secretary James Mattis has warned.

Speaking at a security conference in Singapore, he said such moves undermined regional stability.
China's territorial claims in the resource-rich South China Sea are contested by several nations.
At the same time, Gen Mattis praised Beijing's efforts to restrain North Korea's missile and nuclear activity.
His comments came shortly after the UN Security Council expanded targeted sanctions against North Korea in response to a series of missile tests conducted this year.
The council voted unanimously to back the sanctions after weeks of negotiations between the US and China.
In his speech at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue forum, Gen Mattis said: "We oppose countries militarising artificial islands and enforcing excessive maritime claims.
"We cannot and will not accept unilateral, coercive changes to the status quo."
President Donald Trump and other senior US officials have repeatedly stated that they would protect its interests in the South China Sea, a key shipping route.
During his nomination hearing earlier this year, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that the US was "going to have to send China a clear signal that first the island-building stops, and second your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed."
In response, the Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing would "remain firm to defend its rights in the region".
But in Singapore Gen Mattis also struck a positive note on US-China relations, saying that while competition between the two countries "is bound to occur, conflict is not inevitable".
The biggest question amongst Asian delegates attending the forum has been how much of a role the US will continue to play in this increasingly tense region, the BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Singapore reports.
She adds that Gen Mattis sought to reassure his peers that the US was not turning its back on Asia.
Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years.
Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.
Beijing has been building artificial islands on reefs and carrying out naval patrols in waters also claimed by these other nations.
Although the previous US administration of Barack Obama insisted it was neutral, it spoke out strongly against the island-building and sought to build ties with, and among, the South East Asian nations whose claims overlap those of China.
In July 2016, an international tribunal ruled against Chinese claims, backing a case brought by the Philippines, but Beijing said it would not respect the verdict.
The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with global consequences.


A hoard of gold sovereigns and silver bars found behind a sofa has sold at auction for more than £30,000.

The treasure trove was found by the auctioneer during a routine house clearance in Northamptonshire on 25 January.
More than 100 22-carat gold sovereigns and 16 solid silver bars - each no bigger than a mobile phone - were packed into a zipped-up suitcase.
Auctioneer Jonathan Humbert described the find as "incredible".
The collection went under the hammer at J P Humbert Auctions in Whittlebury on Tuesday.
Every piece of the entire collection was sold separately with individual bids ranging from £190 to £480.
All the Elizabeth II sovereigns, dating from 1958 to 1967, depict St George slaying a dragon on the reverse side.
Each 0.3oz (8g) coin was valued at more than £200.
The 16 solid silver bars, weighing 2.2lb (1kg) each, are engraved by the Swiss bullion makers Metalor.
Mr Humbert said the house owner, who wants to remain anonymous, had made a casual reference to a suitcase behind the sofa containing gold.
He said: "I went to pick it up and I almost pulled my shoulder out of its socket, it was so heavy - so I had to drag it out unceremoniously.
"It was incredible. My eyes lit up - it was quite a find."
He said it was unusual for one person to have that many gold sovereigns in one place.
This year is the 200th anniversary of the "modern gold sovereign" which saw the traditional heraldic Tudor rose emblem on the reverse replaced with St George and the dragon for the first time.


An review of the way the Metropolitan Police deals with mentally ill suspects has identified a series of failings.

The Independent Commission on Mental Health and Policing urges the Met to improve procedures for using force, dealing with calls and keeping records.
It reviewed 55 cases - five of which were deaths in custody - involving people with mental health issues over the past five years.
The Met said it accepted the recommendations.
Of the 55 cases, five were deaths in police custody and 45 were deaths either prior to or following contact with the police.
The other five cases resulted in serious injury.
A key finding was people with mental health issues complained they were "treated like criminals by the police" and were handled with "too much force".
Commission chair Lord Adebowale said: "I hope that those who receive this report ensure that the recommendations are implemented in the name of the families who have lost loved ones in terrible circumstances.
"They deserve the reassurance that other families will not suffer the same loss.
"The commission has sought to provide actionable recommendations, so that there is a real opportunity for the Metropolitan Police Service [MPS] to change their approach significantly to those with mental health issues in their everyday policing.
"The report acknowledges that the MPS cannot do all of this on its own."
The report also recommended the London Ambulance Service needed to respond to individuals with "a clear mental health crisis" as an emergency even if the police were present.
Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "Lord Adebowale's report provides powerful evidence of the challenges that mental health issues present to the Metropolitan Police.
"It sets out clearly the frequency with which our officers are asked to support people at times of mental health crisis.
"I set up this commission to help us improve the way we deal with these challenges. We now have an opportunity to make significant progress.
"Broadly, I can say that I accept the recommendations the commission has made."
Sean Rigg, 40, who was schizophrenic, died from cardiac arrest at Brixton police station in August 2008.
Last year an inquest jury found officers had used "unsuitable" force after arresting Mr Rigg before his death on 21 August 2008.
Following the inquest, the Met apologised "unreservedly" and the IPCC launched a review of the case.
One retired officer and two serving officers have been arrested as part of the investigation into Mr Rigg's death.


A Labour MP is seeking better labelling of alcoholic beverages to warn pregnant women against drinking alcohol.

Bill Esterson, Sefton Central MP, said one in 100 babies born every year in the UK were harmed by alcohol drunk during pregnancy.
He said current guidance was contradictory, which was causing confusion among many pregnant women.
The MP said expectant mothers should not drink "at all" to avoid any potential harm to their unborn child.
He said the effect on a child could range from reduced intellectual ability and behavioural problems, to heart problems and premature death.
The chief medical officer for England is currently reviewing alcohol guidelines, but Mr Esterson said this "appears to be taking a very long time".
He said current labelling on alcoholic drinks was "inadequate as well as not being universal" and proposed a mandatory system of "clear and persistent" labels to warn expectant mothers to avoid alcohol.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has said "current scientific opinion points to there being no hard evidence that very small amounts of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are harmful".
Introducing his bill in the House of Commons, Mr Esterson it was known heavy drinking during pregnancy increased the risk of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, but there was "a lack of consensus" on the potential effects caused by a small amount of alcohol.
"Much scientific evidence suggests that there is no safe limit when it comes to drinking in pregnancy but sadly not everyone is aware of the dangers," he told MPs, and warned that small amounts of alcohol could cause "mild brain damage" in an unborn child.
England's Chief Medical Officer advises that women who are pregnant or trying to conceive "should avoid drinking alcohol altogether" but, if they choose to drink, should consume "no more than one or two units once or twice a week", nor get drunk.
But Mr Esterson raised concerns about the "apparent contradiction and advice given by the chief medical officer".
He said: "Now not everyone whose mother drinks during pregnancy suffers damage that affects their life chances and this is certainly not an attack on women.
"But the damage done by alcohol to too many children shows the need for action and shows that too many of us do not understand the potential risks of drinking alcohol at any point during pregnancy."
His bill, he explained, would avoid "confusing or conflicting advice, whether from government or elsewhere" and introducing mandatory "clear" labelling "that cannot be easily missed and that gives the best advice".
"That advice must be not to drink at all while pregnant or trying to conceive. Such a system of labelling should be designed to help cut the number of children damaged at great cost to themselves and to society," he added.
However, the Labour MP also counselled that better labelling was "only part of the answer", and stressed the benefits of education.
Citing Canada as an example, he told MPs children as young as four are taught about the harmful impact alcohol can have on unborn babies, and that posters about Foetal Alcohol Syndrome are displayed in shops, train and airports and surgeries.
Mr Esterson called on the drinks industry to make changes to their labels without legislation, and urged the government to update its guidance.
His bill received an unopposed first reading - allowing it to proceed to the next stage - and is scheduled to be debated by MPs on 6 March 2014.
However, it is unlikely to become law due to lack of parliamentary time.


Defending champions Guernsey were knocked out of the England Hockey Trophy in the third round.

They lost 4-2 to last year's beaten finalists Blackheath & Old Elthamians.
Steve Waldrom put the island side ahead at Footes Lane and scored again late on, but it was not enough to deny the visitors a place in the next round.
The defeat means Guernsey, who had beaten London Edwardians in the previous round, will not reach the final for the first time since 2011.


Her coach calls her "phenomenal", her nutritionist "quite remarkable".

What, then, is so special about weightlifter Georgi Black?
The 24-year-old from Kilmarnock is certainly in the "ones to watch" category for this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
By dropping a bodyweight division, from 69kg to 63kg, she has improved her chances of a place on the podium.
Her goal is to follow in the footsteps of Delhi silver medal winner and clubmate Peter Kirkbride.
At the Scottish Open in Glasgow at the end of February she lifted a combined weight of 176kg for the two disciplines - the clean and jerk and the snatch.
It's the kind of stuff that makes world-class performance; it's not the sort of thing the average person can do
This was only 6kg short of her best combined lift when she weighed 6kg more.
Kilmarnock Amateur Weightlifting Club had 14 lifters at that event and Chick Hamilton's club will be well represented again at the Commonwealth Trials in Glasgow's west end on Saturday.
After that, there remains only the British Senior Weightlifting Championships at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on 10 May for the Scottish athletes to make the Commonwealth Games standard.
At her heaviest, more than two years ago, Black was 78.6kg but would normally sit at 71kg and shed a few kilos as tournaments approached to compete in the 69kg class.
This weekend she expects to be 62.8kg, having lost a fifth of her bodyweight from her heaviest point.
"Making the cut in weight has been really hard," said her coach Hamilton. "She's been on only 750 calories a day.
"The commitment to that, and lifting just below her best lifts at the bodyweight above, is phenomenal. Everybody kept doubting us.
"We take our hats off to Nikos (Jakubiak), at the Institute of Sport. With his input, keeping Georgi intact, we got there in the end."
Black told BBC Scotland: "It took me two years to lose body fat and not strength. Me, Chick and Nikos worked together.
"I was 6kg below my best combined total at the Scottish Open and I had lost 6kg in body weight so you can't beat that."
Maintaining power while losing body weight takes us into the realm of sports science.
Jakubiak is the performance nutritionist at the sportscotland Institute of Sport. The Greek, who has lived in Scotland for 16 years, specialises in working with athletes from what he calls "weight-making sports" such as judo, boxing and weightlifting.
"What Georgi has achieved is quite remarkable," he said. "It's worthy of a lot of praise. The effort she has put in is quite incredible.
"It's the kind of stuff that makes world-class performance; it's not the sort of thing the average person can do. Dropping the weight is not the challenge - it's staying healthy and strong."
Jakubiak argues that "every calorie must come with goodness". He extols the benefits of porridge for breakfast and advises athletes to eat a balanced diet that provide iron, vitamin C, magnesium and the like.
His work with Black was carefully planned. He monitored her weight and power outputs every week.
He continued: "She's a special girl. She has that tunnel vision to be a world-class performer.
"The people who do this have very high goals. You are going against your own brain. You want to enjoy food.
"We set realistic targets about weight and advise on food choice, training, eating, sleeping and food behaviour. It's common sense."
Hamilton adapted Black's training programme to move away from high repetitions. In the lead-up to the Scottish Open she worked at 80-85% of her potential power and practised only single lifts.
The plan worked - she surpassed the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard by 21kg and broke seven Scottish records at her new bodyweight.
"We always said if she could do the same total at the lower bodyweight she'd maybe push for fifth or sixth in the Commonwealth rankings and if there were a couple of slip-ups she could maybe be in contention for a medal," said Hamilton.
"People say a gold medal's the be-all-and-end-all. When you look at Peter Kirkbride at Delhi, people say he lost out by 1kg but he didn't really, he won silver.
It's knowing when to push and when to take our foot off the pedal. That gets results at Kilmarnock Weightlifting Club
"For weightlifting in Scotland it was unbelievable."
Black describes the Kilmarnock club as being "like a family". Some nights she coaches 25 youths in the development programme. The club had 14 lifters at the Scottish Schools Championships where they won 12 golds, a silver and a bronze.
"It's all about hard work. People just see the end result," continued Hamilton, who represented Scotland in weightlifting at the 1994 Commonwealth Games 20 years ago.
"They don't see what Georgi and Peter have gone through over the years to become a Games athlete.
"It's hard to go to the gym to do weightlifting every day. You've got to have a bit of banter.
"As a coach, it's knowing when to push and when to take our foot off the pedal. That gets results at Kilmarnock Weightlifting Club.
"If someone is down one night we make up for it the next night. We take them for a beer or take them for something to eat."
The Scotland team can comprise a maximum of eight men and seven women.
The lifters in Glasgow this weekend are approaching the last-chance saloon for Commonwealth qualification. They must lift the qualifying totals at two separate events.
Black's target is way beyond the 155kg that would guarantee her place. It's pushing for a medal at Glasgow 2014.


The UK Independence Party spent almost as much as the Conservatives at this year's European elections - while the Lib Dems outspent Labour, Electoral Commission figures show.

UKIP, which won May's election, spent £2,956,737, while the Tories' campaign expenditure was £2,980,815,
The Lib Dems spent £1,580,575 and lost all but one of their MEPs - Labour, which came second, spent £1,027,339.
The figures cover the campaign period from 23 January to polling day, 22 May.
UKIP's campaign spending works out at 68p for each of their 4,376,635 votes. For Labour it is 26p per vote, the Conservatives 79p and the Lib Dems, who lost 11 of their 12 MEPs, £1.45. The Green Party, which came fourth, spent £534,249 on its campaign - 43p for each of its 1,255,573 votes.
Including the SNP's £267,372, the six highest-spending parties spent a total of £9,347,087 on campaigning, the Electoral Commission said.
All but Labour spent more than they did during the 2009 European election campaign.


Oxford United manager Michael Appleton believes there is more to come from his side after they secured their first victory in League One on Saturday.

The U's edged out Peterborough 2-1 with an injury time-winning penalty from Chris Maguire at the Kassam Stadium.
The win also came off the back of two consecutive defeats away from home.
"I thought we made massive improvements in our performance," Appleton told BBC Radio Oxford. "We hadn't been doing enough to make the keeper work before."
Oxford, who finished second last season in League Two to gain automatic promotion, have had to rebuild the squad following injuries and the sale of midfielders Kemar Roofe and Callum O'Dowda in pre-season.
"We're a side at the moment who are still searching for that rhythm we had last season," Appleton added.
"But I have to give the players credit for how they responded and the resilience they showed after conceding."


Mae mwy na 700 o bobl wedi arwyddo deiseb ar y we yn galw ar Brifysgol Bangor i ailystyried eu bwriad i ddileu'r cyrsiau gradd BA ac MA mewn celfyddyd gain.

Mae'r brifysgol yn bwriadu dod â'r cyrsiau rhan amser i ben eleni a gwneud trefniadau gwahanol i'r myfyrwyr sydd eisoes yn eu dilyn.
Ond mae nifer o'r athrawon sy'n cyflwyno'r cyrsiau yn anhapus â'r modd mae'r brifysgol wedi cyhoeddi'r newidiadau.
Ar hyn o bryd, mae 'na 35 o fyfyrwyr yn dilyn cyrsiau rhan amser mewn Celfyddyd Gain, fydd yn arwain at raddau BA ac MA dros gyfnod o chwe blynedd.
Mae 'na 18 o diwtoriaid, sy'n artistiaid eu hunain, yn dysgu'r cyrsiau yn rhan-amser.
Ond mae'r Brifysgol wedi cyhoeddi eu bod am ddod a'r cyrsiau yn eu ffurf bresennol i ben a dod o hyd i ffyrdd newydd i'w cyflwyno efo Grŵp Llandrillo Menai.
Fe ddywedodd y tiwtoriaid ei bod yn bwysig cadw'r cwrs fel ag y mae.
"Mae'r cyrsiau yn helpu pobl sydd ddim wedi bod yn llwyddiannus mewn addysg o'r blaen, pobl sydd eisiau astudio celf yn eu cymuned ond fyddai ddim yn cael cyfle i wneud hynny oni bai am y cyrsiau yma, cymysgedd enfawr o fyfyrwyr," meddai Wanda Zyborska, arweinydd y Cwrs BA.
"Rydan ni'n cynnal dosbarthiadau yn y gymuned mewn mannau fel Penrhyndeudraeth, Caergybi, Bae Penrhyn, Pentrefelin, Caernarfon a'r Bala."
Dywedodd Jules Williams, sy'n yn arwain y cwrs blwyddyn gyntaf, fod y cwrs wedi ei osod yn rhif 14 yn y Good University Guide yn 2016.
"Be' sy'n gwneud y cwrs yn unigryw ydy bod y myfyrwyr yn byw yma yn barod ac maen nhw'n rhan o'r gymuned, ac yn aros yn y gymuned ar ôl graddio a chwrs cymunedol ydy o wedi bod erioed, ac er y toriadau ariannol mae'r ethos yma yn parhau", meddai.
Mewn datganiad dywedodd llefarydd ar ran Prifysgol Bangor fod y brifysgol yn "cynnal adolygiad eang er mwyn gallu ymateb i'r newidiadau sy'n ein wynebu dros y blynyddoedd nesa."
Ychwanegodd mai yn y cyd-destun hwnnw mae'r Brifysgol yn ystyried ffyrdd newydd o ddarparu addysg i oedolion a rhaglenni celfyddydau cain.
Dywedodd fod y brifysgol yn awyddus i weld y rhaglenni hyn yn parhau ond eu bod yn "archwilio dulliau newydd o'u cyflwyno hefo Grŵp Llandrillo Menai a thrwy ffyrdd mewnol eraill.
"Ein nod ydy sicrhau parhad y ddarpariaeth i fyfyrwyr presennol a pharhad y rhaglenni ar gyfer y dyfodol."


NI Water has spent an estimated Â£5m in the past two years dealing with 40,000 blockages in Northern Ireland's sewers.

In the run-up to Christmas, the company has made an impassioned plea to the public to avoid "fatbergs" and keep drains clear.
The message is not to pour cooking fat, oil and grease down the sink as it solidifies and blocks the sewer.
In the past, huge "fatbergs" have blocked pipes and caused considerable disruption.
Last year, a giant lump of fat weighing about as much as five sports cars was cleared from a Chelsea sewer in London.
In August 2013, a fatberg the size of a double decker bus was found under the streets of south-west London.
The one found in November of that year under Belfast's Ormeau Road was smaller but, nevertheless, caused disruption.
Alec McQuillan, head of Wastewater at NI Water, said:  "Fat, oil and grease in its liquid form may not look harmful, but once in the drains, it is. Even when hot water or soap is poured down the sink - the fat, oil and grease will still harden. Detergents and bleach may also appear to work, but this is only temporary.
"When a drain becomes blocked and overflows, the consequences can be devastating.
"We can all play a part in maintaining the sewerage infrastructure from restaurants, pubs and hotels right through to home owners and industrial outlets."
One way to dispose of fat, oil and grease is to let it cool and solidify and then scrape it into the rubbish.


Five men have been taken ill after taking legal high 'Annihilation' or 'Cherry Bombs' in the last two days in Greater Manchester, said police.

Police said two of the men required medical treatment in Rochdale on Saturday, with one, aged 34, in a serious condition in hospital.
It follows three separate incidents of men becoming ill after taking legal highs in the town on Friday.
A 33-year-old man remains in an induced coma after taking the legal high.
Police reiterated warnings about the danger of taking legal highs 'Annihilation' or 'Cherry Bombs' which it said are different forms of psychoactive substances.
Greater Manchester Police's Det Sgt Louise Ashurst said this further highlights "a worrying trend that more people are taking these dangerous substances".
"They might not be illegal but they are very dangerous and can cause you serious harm and we currently have two men in hospital in a very serious condition."
"We believe that some of the substances that are being taken are called 'Annihilation' or 'Cherry Bombs' which might make them sound appealing but the potential consequences make taking them not worth it.
Police said symptoms to watch out for include:


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Some will make you think, some will make you smile, and some you can simply mark down as random.
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The family of a prison officer shot dead by dissident republicans have said they feel betrayed by the justice system.

It follows news that a man charged in connection with the killing is missing.
David Black was shot dead as he drove along the M1 on his way to work at Maghaberry prison in November 2012.
Damien Joseph McLaughlin, 40, of Kilmascally Road near Ardboe, is due to stand trial next month on charges that include aiding and abetting his murder.
However, in court on Friday, police said that he had breached his bail conditions and had not been seen by them since November.
In a statement, Mr Black's son, Kyle, said the family felt "very let down, hurt and betrayed by the justice system".
"Not only is the justice system letting us down, but they are letting dad down, and that was a system of which he was a part," he said.
Damien McLaughlin had served just over two years in prison for possession of guns and ammunition.
He spent time in prison on remand on charges connected to Mr Black's killing, but was released on bail in May 2014. A series of conditions imposed were later varied, including the removal of a stipulation that he had to wear an electronic tag and a reduction in the number of days he had to report to police.
At Belfast Crown Court on Friday, a judge revoked McLaughlin's bail after being told that he had failed to sign with police in November and had not been seen by them since.
Kyle Black said the decision to relax the bail conditions was "laughable to say the least".
"What is even more farcical is that someone with previous terrorist convictions and who is charged with further terrorist-related offences cannot sign bail (which should be completed daily) for more than five weeks and takes until then before concerns are raised about his location," he said.
In response, PSNI Det Ch Super Raymond Murray said: "We can't begin to contemplate the distress that David Black's family are feeling following the disclosure of breach of bail conditions by the individual charged with offences in connection with his murder and we fully take on board the concerns they have.
"We contacted Mr Black's family last week, prior to the court proceedings taking place, to make them aware of the situation surrounding bail. We have also arranged a further meeting with them to discuss their concerns.
"While I would like to reassure Mr Black's family, and the public, that our priority is to locate Damien McLaughlin, we are limited in what we can comment on publicly due to the ongoing legal proceedings."
He said police were continuing to make "active enquiries" and were liaising with other police services, including Irish police.


Two police officers have been shot dead during a traffic stop in southern Mississippi.

Officers Benjamin Deen, 34, and Liquori Tate, 25, were killed in Hattiesburg city, said police spokesman Lt Jon Traxler.
Local media say that both men died from their injuries in the hospital on Saturday night.
Four people have been arrested over the killings, ending a manhunt of several hours.
Warren Strain, spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, said that 29-year-old Marvin Banks and 22-year-old Joanie Calloway had both been charged with two counts of capital murder.
Cornelius Clark, 28, was arrested later and charged with obstruction of justice, the Mississippi Highway Patrol said, according to the Associated Press.
Mr Strain said that Curtis Banks, the younger brother of Marvin Banks, had also been charged with being an accessory to the crimes. It's not clear what warranted those charges.
Mr Strain told The Associated Press that Marvin Banks had tried to escape in a police car after the shooting.
"He didn't get very far, three or four blocks and then he ditched that vehicle."
According to his mother, Mary Smith, Mr Banks has mental problems in addition to a drug addiction. She said that her son smoked "spice" daily and had been hearing voices ever since he was attacked and hit in the head with a pipe several years ago.
She told AP that she has no doubt that Marvin killed the officers and said he looked high in photos after his arrest.
"You could tell something was wrong with him," she said, speaking on the steps of the courthouse, where she had come to find out more information about her sons' arrest. "I hate it for these families that he wasn't in his right mind."
The shootings took place after one of the police officers pulled over a car on Saturday, local reports say.
"All I know right now is that there was a traffic stop and someone started shooting at them and both of the officers were struck," Lt Traxler told AP.
The number of shots and who fired them were still under investigation, he added. He did not explain why the car had been pulled over by police.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Monday that the officers' deaths "is made even more tragic by the fact that, on the day they were killed this past Saturday, the country began observing Police Week - a time when we pause to remember and honour the more than 20,000 law enforcement officers who have been killed in the line of duty".
The incident comes after the killing of a New York police officer last week. Brian Moore, 25, was shot in the head while attempting to question a suspect from his police car.
In December, two officers were shot dead in their car in New York by a man who then committed suicide.
The latest shootings come amid heightened tensions in the US over the police's use of force. Riots erupted in Baltimore earlier this month after the death of a 24-year-old black man in police custody.
Six officers have since been charged over the death of Freddie Gray.


X-Men star Hugh Jackman is to perform a one-man Broadway show, singing songs from musicals with the backing of an 18-piece orchestra.

Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway, will also feature Hollywood stories.
The 42-year-old frequently treads the boards - he appeared in a 1998 revival of Oklahoma! at London's National Theatre, and won a Tony award for his role in 2004's for The Boy From Oz.
He will perform at the Broadhurst Theater from 25 October to 20 December.
"I can't believe it's been seven years since I was singing and dancing on Broadway," Jackman said in a statement.
"There is nothing like performing on the Great White Way and I'm so excited to be coming 'home'."
The actor, who hosted the Oscars in 2009, has previously taken the show to San Francisco and Toronto.
Jackman last performed on Broadway in 2009, taking a non-musical role alongside Daniel Craig in Keith Huff's police thriller A Steady Rain.
Following his Broadway stint, the Australian actor will reportedly star with Russell Crowe in Tom Hooper's film adaptation of Claude-Michel Schonberg's musical Les Miserables.


Iran says it has shot down an Israeli drone near the Natanz nuclear enrichment site.

The Revolutionary Guards said they fired the missile as the stealth drone approached the area, 300km (185 miles) south of the capital Tehran.
The statement did not say when the drone was brought down, nor how the Guards knew it was Israeli.
World powers are currently negotiating with Iran over its nuclear programme.
Tehran insists it wants to keep its nuclear capabilities for peaceful purposes, but critics - including many in Israel - say this is a front for producing nuclear weapons.
In the past, Israel has frequently threatened to attack Iran's nuclear plants.
An Israeli military spokesman told the BBC there was no comment or reaction to be given about such foreign reports.
Natanz is Iran's main uranium enrichment site, and contains more than 16,000 centrifuges.
The statement from the Revolutionary Guards said the drone was on course to fly over the nuclear facility at Natanz.
If so, the fact that the drone managed to get so close raises questions about Iran's detection capabilities, says BBC Persian's Rana Rahimpour.


An investigator with the Police Ombudsman resigned from his job days after an internal inquiry was launched following the discovery of a gun and ammunition in his office.

It is understood that member of staff was Steve Skerritt.
The items had been examined as part of an investigation into a shooting incident involving police officers.
The Ombudsman said that not returning them to an evidence store was a breach of procedures. Mr Skerritt denies this.
The Police Ombudsman has also confirmed that an investigation began after the weapon and ammunition were "found in the filing cabinet of a member of staff".
Mr Skerritt worked as an investigator for the office of the Ombudsman since shortly after it opened in November 2000.
The BBC understands that the items were discovered by a colleague of the investigator in June while he was on holiday.
They are believed to have been in the filing cabinet for the past nine years.
In a statement, the Police Ombudsman's office said the gun and ammunition were among items seized as part of an investigation into an incident in 2007 when a police officer fired shots at a car they believed to have been stolen.
The police weapon recovered from the filing cabinet was not fired during the incident in the Dundonald area of Belfast, in which a man lost an eye.
"Police Ombudsman staff became aware of the breach in June this year and immediately initiated an investigation, which is continuing," the statement added.
"The person in question no longer works for the office."
It is understood Mr Skerritt resigned from his position shortly after being informed that an internal investigation had begun.
Reacting to the news on Tuesday evening, the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI) called for an inquiry into the Police Ombudsman's Office.
PFNI Chairman Mark Lindsay described the office as "a law unto itself" and said the episode pointed to "sloppy and careless internal procedures" within the organisation.
Calling for the creation of an independent oversight body to govern the operation and internal workings of the office, Mr Lindsay said: "The Ombudsman's office is quick to criticise our officers for what, on most occasions, are relatively minor issues.
"The bottom line is the gun and ammunition shouldn't have been in its possession - they should have been handed over to the police.
"We simply cannot have an office that is meant to be above board in every respect behaving in this careless and sloppy manner."
The incident is highly embarrassing for the Police Ombudsman, who conducts investigations into complaints and allegations of wrong doing by police officers.
Whatever the outcome of the investigation, the ombudsman cannot take any action against Mr Skerritt as he no longer works for the office.
When contacted by the BBC, Mr Skerritt said he had not breached any procedures, and that the handgun and ammunition had been stored in a secure cabinet.
He also said he had been planning to retire for some time and that his decision to leave his job at the time was not connected to the discovery of the items, or the fact that an investigation had been launched.


Paul Tisdale got the better of the battle between the Football League's longest serving managers as Exeter inflicted Morecambe's sixth successive home defeat.

Tisdale's side were given a flying start by David Wheeler's fourth-minute goal and they wrapped up a 3-0 win before half-time with further strikes from Joel Grant and Lee Holmes.
The opener came when Alex Whitmore's poor clearance gave Holmes space and time to run on goal and the former Derby midfielder produced the perfect through ball for Wheeler to drill a low shot past Barry Roche from the edge of the area.
Lloyd James fired wide but the Grecians did not have to wait long for a second as, on 16 minutes, Reuben Reid did well to hold off his man on the edge of the area before teeing up Grant, who drilled a low left-foot shot in off the right post.
Jim Bentley's men hit back, with Tom Barkhuizen volleying Michael Rose's corner straight at Christy Pym and Cole Stockton heading weakly at goal from a second set-piece, before Exeter scored an all-too-simple third.
Holmes was allowed to run into the Morecambe area and without any challenge was able to stab a left-foot shot with the outside of his foot past the helpless Roche from 12 yards out.
Morecambe started the second half strongly, with Stockton firing over from close range, and they dominated from then on without being able to pull a goal back.
Substitute keeper Bobby Olejnik saved superbly from Lee Molyneux's sweetly-struck shot, Pierce Sweeney cleared Ryan Edwards's shot off the line and Whitmore also went close.
Report supplied by the Press Association.
Match ends, Morecambe 0, Exeter City 3.
Second Half ends, Morecambe 0, Exeter City 3.
Alex Whitmore (Morecambe) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box.
Foul by Michael Rose (Morecambe).
Jake Taylor (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Aaron McGowan (Morecambe) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Corner,  Morecambe. Conceded by Jack Stacey.
Corner,  Morecambe. Conceded by Pierce Sweeney.
Attempt missed. Ryan Edwards (Morecambe) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Substitution, Exeter City. Jack Stacey replaces Luke Croll.
Luke Croll (Exeter City) is shown the yellow card.
Tom Barkhuizen (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Luke Croll (Exeter City).
Corner,  Exeter City. Conceded by Aaron McGowan.
Substitution, Morecambe. Ntumba Massanka replaces Lee Molyneux.
Corner,  Morecambe. Conceded by Pierce Sweeney.
Peter Murphy (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Luke Croll (Exeter City).
Substitution, Exeter City. Robbie Simpson replaces Reuben Reid.
Attempt missed. Cole Stockton (Morecambe) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is too high following a corner.
Corner,  Morecambe. Conceded by Jake Taylor.
Attempt missed. Lee Molyneux (Morecambe) left footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Corner,  Exeter City. Conceded by Ryan Edwards.
Foul by Michael Rose (Morecambe).
Joel Grant (Exeter City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner,  Exeter City. Conceded by Barry Roche.
James Jennings (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Pierce Sweeney (Exeter City).
Lee Molyneux (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Jake Taylor (Exeter City).
Lloyd James (Exeter City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Jack Dunn (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Lloyd James (Exeter City).
Attempt missed. Cole Stockton (Morecambe) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high.
Tom Barkhuizen (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Craig Woodman (Exeter City).
Substitution, Morecambe. Jack Dunn replaces Kevin Ellison.
Foul by James Jennings (Morecambe).
David Wheeler (Exeter City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Lee Molyneux (Morecambe).


Sir Mo Farah and Kadeena Cox were named sportsman and sportswoman of the year at the 2017 British Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards.

Farah won gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the Olympics in Rio last year, while Cox won cycling and athletics gold at the Rio Paralympics.
The special lifetime achievement award went to 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Jason Robinson.
Brighton boss Chris Hughton was named England coach of the year.
The third BEDSAs were hosted by British comedian Sir Lenny Henry in London on Saturday and are supported by Sport England, UK Sport, the Football Association, the Tennis Foundation, Youth Sport Trust, England Athletics, the British Army, Mind and Spirit of 2012.
They are organised by Sporting Equals, whose chief executive Arun Kang said the purpose of the awards was to "celebrate diversity at both an elite and grassroots level".
"It really means a lot to be named as your sportsman of the year," said Farah. "And congratulations to my fellow nominees as well.
"It's so great to see everyone come together this evening to celebrate the incredible achievements of our diverse sporting communities."
Cox said: "I'm very honoured to have won this award and would like to give a massive thanks to Sporting Equals for all the work they do in BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) communities."
Sportsman of the year
Sir Mo Farah
Sportswoman of the year
Kadeena Cox
Lifetime achievement award
Jason Robinson OBE
England athletics coach of the year
Chris Hughton
Youth Sport Trust young sports person of the year
Alice Tai
British Army unsung hero
Inderpal Singh Cheema
Sport England community sports project of the year
Spring SLR
Spirit of 2012 connecting communities
Al Madina Centre
Mind wellbeing award
Sonia Smith
Tennis Foundation special achievement
Shapla Sports
FA recognition award
Rashid Abba
UK Sport inspirational performance
Ruqsana Begum


David Walliams has begun the seventh day of his bid to swim the River Thames from its source to central London.

The comedian entered the water at 06:30 BST at Old Windsor Lock, in Berkshire, and aims to swim 21 miles to Teddington, in south-west London.
He is continuing his Big Splash Challenge for Sport Relief despite being warned not to swim in the river.
Thames Water said 500,000 cubic metres of raw sewage had entered the London section of the Thames this week.
Sport Relief said Walliams had received several inoculations to protect him from diseases carried in the river, and his health was constantly being monitored.
The 40-year-old Little Britain star has fallen behind schedule in his bid to swim the 140-mile route in eight days.
He began at the river's source in Gloucestershire on 5 September but suffered a bout of "Thames Tummy" which left him with a high temperature.
Walliams said he had recovered from the illness but was wary of the challenges ahead.
He said: "We have broken through the 100 mile barrier now which is great, but once I reach Teddington Lock the Thames becomes tidal and there's a whole new set of challenges.
"The currents and undertows are very dangerous so I'll need to be strong."


The body of a man has been found in a lake in Southport.

The man, who is believed to be in his fifties, was recovered from Southport Marine Lake following a call to police from a member of the public just before 09:00 BST.
Emergency services attended but the man, who has not been named, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said inquiries are under way to identify the man and to establish the circumstances of his death.


A bill ensuring hospitals in Wales have sufficient nurses on duty at all times has been passed by AMs.

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Kirsty Williams, who proposed the legislation, said Wales would be the first part of Europe with such a legal requirement.
"This small but fundamental change in the way we staff our wards with nurses will undoubtedly save lives," she said.
Meanwhile nurse training places will increase by 10% - an extra 135 - in a Â£85m Welsh government package.
Extra training places for physiotherapists and radiographers are also included.
Health Minister Mark Drakeford said highly-trained staff were "the heart of the Welsh NHS".
"This investment is based on what NHS organisations have told us they need to maintain services," he said.
"Despite the financial pressures faced during in recent years we have continued to invest in education and training for health professionals in Wales. This year is no exception."
AMs approved Ms Williams's nurse staffing levels bill on Wednesday evening.
"The logic is simple: more nurses on our wards means each nurse can spend more time with each patient, ensuring better care as a result," she said.
"More staff nurses means health boards won't have to fork out for expensive agency nurses, saving our NHS money in the long run."


A third cat has joined the Whitehall mouse patrol with the arrival of Gladstone at the Treasury.

Larry has been in residence at Downing Street since 2011, and Palmerston was brought in to keep rodents at bay in the Foreign Office earlier this year.
Gladstone, who is thought to be 18 months old, is a former stray adopted from Battersea Cats and Dogs Home.
Larry was one of the few post holders to survive Theresa May's government reshuffle in July.
It was confirmed he would stay on after the departure of David Cameron, who took the opportunity in his final prime minister's questions to quash rumours he did not get along with the mouser.
Relations between Larry and Palmerston are rumoured to have been strained, and there was speculation that Larry's recent trip to the vet was the result of one of their run-ins.
But the latest feline appointment - who is named after former Liberal prime minister and four-time chancellor William Ewart Gladstone - signalled a willingness to stand up to No. 10.
A caption on Gladstone's photo - taken of him in a cat carrier - reads: "The humans had to keep me in this cage in case I ran down the street and tormented some other mouser called 'Larry'.  Personally, I've never heard of him."
Asked why Gladstone, who was previously called Timmy, had been drafted in a spokeswoman said it was to "help control the mice problem in the 1 Horse Guard Road building".


Google has highlighted 11 security flaws in Samsung's flagship Android handset, the Galaxy S6 Edge.

The vulnerabilities include a loophole that could have been used by hackers to gain control of a victim's phone.
Most of the issues were fixed after Google notified Samsung, but some have yet to be addressed.
One independent expert said the bugs "significantly weakened the security" of Google's operating system.
"There is definitely a tension between Google and the handset manufacturers because Google wants to protect its Android brand, and when it comes to security, Android has been quite tarnished," added Dr Steven Murdoch, a security researcher at University College London.
"Some of that is down to the extra software that handset manufacturers add."
A statement from Samsung said the three remaining bugs would be fixed via a security update later this month.
"Maintaining the trust of our customers is a top priority", said the company.
Details of the bugs were disclosed by Google's Project Zero team, whose job is to hunt out previously unknown computer security flaws.
It said that several of the flaws would have been "trivial to exploit".
"Over the course of a week, we found a total of 11 issues with a serious security impact," the team blogged.
"The majority of these issues were fixed on the device we tested via an OTA [over the air] update within 90 days.
"It is promising that the highest severity issues were fixed and updated on-device in a reasonable timeframe."
Among the vulnerabilities was a weakness found in Samsung's email software that could have allowed hackers to forward a victim's messages to their own account.
Another allowed attackers to alter the settings of Samsung's photo-viewing app by sending the handset a specially encoded image.
But Google said the most interesting issue was the existence of a "directory traversal bug" in a wi-fi utility built in to the phone.
"If someone provided malicious data to the software, they could then change other files on the system and interfere with other functions, in particular security functions," said Dr Murdoch.
To do this, he said, a hacker would also need to convince their target to install a malicious app, which might appear to have very limited access to the phone's other functions.
But by exploiting the flaw, the malware could then escalate its privileges.
"This would only happen as part of a chain of events, but eventually it could allow someone to take over the entire phone," Dr Murdoch added.
"Android tries to have layers of protection, so even if you break past one level of protection there's another one.
"This removed some quite important layers of that protection."
Samsung confirmed it had addressed this particular issue in a security update released last month.
"Samsung encourages users to keep their software and apps updated at all times," added a spokesman.


Ireland collapsed to a 10-wicket defeat by Afghanistan in the final of the Desert Twenty20 Challenge in Dubai.

Ireland were all out for 71 in 13.2 overs, with Paul Stirling (17) one of only two players to reach double figures, and Mohammad Nabi taking 4-10.
Afghanistan chased down the target in only 7.5 overs, Mohammad Shahzad hitting nine fours and a six in racing to 52 not out from 40 balls.
Ireland had thumped Scotland by 98 wins in their semi-final earlier in the day.
Gary Wilson top scored for Ireland with 65 not out, while opener Stirling made 60 as they set the Scots a target of 212.
Scotland fell well short despite the efforts of Kyle Coetzer (40) and Matthew Cross (35) as they were bowled out for 113 with nearly five overs to spare, as young leg-spinner Jacob Mulder took 4-16.
Afghanistan won their semi-final against Oman by eight wickets.
Greg Thompson with 10 not out was the only other Ireland player to make double figures against Afghanistan in the final, with Amir Hamza, Fareed Ahmad and Karim Janat taking two wickets apiece.
An innings of 17 not out from Nawroz Mangal helped Afghanistan to victory with 73 balls remaining.


The European Commission is planning to open an in-depth investigation into the planned Â£21bn merger of London's Stock Exchange and Germany's Deutsche Boerse.

The scheme would combine the stock exchanges of the UK, Germany and Italy and some big clearing houses to create Europe's largest exchange operator.
Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said it had to make sure that financial markets remained "competitive".
Shareholders of the LSE and Deutsche Boerse have already approved the plan.
The European Union's anti-trust watchdog says such a merger could eliminate competition in areas such as bonds, derivatives and repurchasing agreements.
The LSE said that to deal with the body's concerns, it would try to dispose of its French subsidiary LCH.
Each of the companies has more than 5,000 staff and in June, the LSE said that the merger could lead to as many as 1,250 job losses.
The deal is expected to produce Â£215m in annual cost savings over five years, with Â£138m of those achieved by the third year, while the headquarters in London and Frankfurt would both be kept.
If it goes ahead, LSE shareholders will own 45.6% of the new holding company with the rest being held by Deutsche Boerse shareholders.


Wales' Amy Boulden is three shots off the lead after the second round of the Women's Australian Open in Adelaide.

Boulden, 23, struck six birdies to card a six-under-par 68 after Australian Sarah Jane Smith took the lead with 67.
In a close contest, with the top 19 separated by just four shots, England's Jodi Ewar-Shadoff hit 71 and is four strokes back.
Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh and Michele Thomson are one shot behind Ewar-Shadoff after rounds of 69 and 74.


They are the two biggest towns in the Scottish Borders although the order you place them in probably depends which one you come from.

But both Galashiels and Hawick (in strict alphabetical order) have some issues in common.
A recent report by consultants looked at the "challenges" facing the retail sector in the towns.
Its findings have now been presented to Scottish Borders Council and a number of community groups.
The local authority said its recommendations would be "carefully considered" before any action was taken.
Councillor Stuart Bell said: "This piece of work is an important step in tackling the challenges faced in both Galashiels and Hawick in terms of retailing, but we now need to go away and consider the recommendations and come back with an informed plan on where we go from here.
"It is important that community and business groups in both Galashiels and Hawick are engaged with the work that will result from this report, and as such it was vital to make them aware of the findings as early as possible.
"Change will not take place overnight, and we still have to take into account the wider economy across the Scottish Borders and nationally which has, and continues to, impact on retailing in our towns."
He said that he remained "hopeful" that working with partners like Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish government they could help both towns which were "clearly vital" to the local economy.
The report presents a number of key findings about the retail sector in the area.
It found that Borders towns were shifting from a traditional shopping offering (such as shoes and clothing) towards convenience and leisure.
It also concluded that retail premises were becoming more locally owned as major financial institutions moved out and that leases tended to be for shorter periods leading to quicker turnover of High Street tenants.
The study also said that towns in the Scottish Borders were "not particularly well understood by UK level decision-makers in the retail sector".
It suggested that a "prospectus" for Galashiels and Hawick should be drawn up identifying what the towns have to offer.
That would allow them to target operators with a "clear message around local trading conditions" and information about the retailers already present.
Consultants said that growth was coming from local retailers and added that current vacancies could provide an opportunity for them to "improve their trading location".
It said public sector investment could focus regeneration efforts in Galashiels on Stirling Street and the west end of Channel Street.
In Hawick it suggested a footfall generating "anchor" such as a major commercial outlet in the town centre might provide a boost.
All of which provides food for thought for both the council and community groups in the two towns.
It will then be up to them to decide if and how they take forward the recommendations made by the consultants.


With the world's elderly population growing rapidly, scientists are suggesting that robots could take on some of the burden of providing care, support and - most surprisingly - companionship.

A boy born today in Britain is expected to live on average to the age of 91, a girl to 94.
Worldwide 1.5 billion people over the age of 65 are expected to be around in 2050.
Click reports on technology to make old age easier and looks at the release of the PS4
In Japan, which has the world's oldest population, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has allocated 2.39bn yen (Â£14.3m) in the 2013 budget to develop robots to help with care.
Toyota is developing devices to help carry the elderly or provide mobility support and Toli Corp has created a mat with a wireless sensor that can track and deliver feedback if an elderly person is moving around.
A special robot with 24 fingers has been developed for hair washing and head massage, useful if a person has limited arm movement. It is something Panasonic has also tried out in Japanese hair salons.
The idea of using robotics to care for the elderly is being trialled everywhere from Singapore to Salford.
The Spatio-Temporal Representations and Activities for Cognitive Control in Long-term Scenarios - handily referred to as the Strands project - at the University of Birmingham has received 8m euros (Â£6.69m) in funding from the European Commission.
The Strands robot will begin trials with an Austrian care provider in May, starting with simple things such as checking fire doors remain unblocked and defibrillators are always present and in the right place.
"We're trying to free up more of the staff time," says Dr Nick Hawes.
He says: "One of the biggest complaints of care home staff members is that they don't spend enough time doing the human interaction and the caring part.
"We're looking at porter-type tasks and assistance tasks. If the robot could fetch the tray of medicine while the human talks to the residents instead of getting the tray and just dishing out the medicine because they're short on time, it increases interaction."
But some projects are hoping robots can take a more active, and personable, approach to care.
The Mobiserv project - a consortium of eight European universities and care companies - has just finished research on creating a "social companion robot".
It could provide the elderly with everything from a health and nutrition coach that encourages them to eat healthily and exercise through to a device that lets them know they have not spoken to anyone for a while.
A project in Salford is creating robots that "can help supervise people 24 hours a day", according to researcher Antonio Espingardeiro.
The Carebot P37 S65 can, among other things, be programmed with speech therapy and object recognition exercises to help people with dementia.
Mr Espingardeiro and his team are currently looking at the comparative advantages and disadvantages between robot care and human care, but he believes robots can provide meaningful interaction to supplement human contact.
As with a lot of technology, reality is taking its lead from science fiction. In the recent film Robot and Frank, an elderly man is bought a robot rather than being put into a care home.
There is evidence that robots offering companionship are popular with the elderly.
The most popular robot used by the older generation in Japan is Paro, a robot that will not help with the dishes, carry heavy items or administer medication.
But it does look cute, a cross between a seal and a Furby children's toy.
It offers companionship rather than any tangible medical or physical support.
"Paro is my friend," says Japanese care home resident Kazuo Nashimura,
"I like it that he seems to understand human feelings."
Some of the robotic community thinks that this is not strictly in the mould of providing tangible benefits to the elderly.
"At no point is that a care robot," says Dr Hawes.
"There is really no benefit to having that except that it engages people, it facilitates conversation. If you're one on one with that robot, it's no more beneficial than having a Game Boy."
And the emotional reliance on robots seems to go against current campaigns by various charities for the elderly.
By Mark EastonHome editor
Age UK says half of all older people consider the television their main form of company and has set about a befriending service where people can volunteer to go around and chat with lonely people.
It is a service that they think would make a big difference, in a way that robots cannot.
"There is nothing wrong with making smarter use of technology to help people manage health conditions and possibly stay independent for longer," says Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK.
"However, it is always important to ensure technology is only used where it delivers real benefits and to recognise that it is no substitute for the human touch."
Some see the robots as threatening to take the place of care staff or loved ones.
But with so many lonely elderly people, robots are seen by scientists working on robot projects as a first step.
"Some robotic device in a lonely person's life might improve it," says Dr Hawes.
"But that shouldn't disoblige society from finding new ways to give them human contact.
"The idea that we can say, 'Hey, let's give them a robot and we don't have to worry any more' is the scrapheap approach."


Crawley Town have signed defender Charles Dunne on a one-month loan from League One side Blackpool.

Dunne, 23, joined the Seasiders from Wycombe Wanderers in 2013 and has made 30 appearances for the club.
"Left-back has been a bit of a problem for us since Mitch Hancox and George Smith went back to their parent clubs," boss Mark Yates told the club website.
"He played a lot of Championship games last season and he's a solid and competitive player."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


Super League leaders Castleford Tigers survived a huge scare from bottom side Widnes Vikings to extend their winning run to five games.

Greg Eden's third hat-trick in as many games proved key, leading the fight back from 22-10 down against Denis Betts' side.
A much-improved Widnes were ahead at half-time and extended their tally in the second-half.
However, Daryl Powell's Tigers wrestled the points away with their late scores.
There have been limited occasions this season when Powell's side have failed to entertain, but their stars almost saw the Vikings cause an upset.
That said, their title ambitions were bolstered by the manner of their comeback against an aggressive Widnes side that was looking for their first win in five games.
Few would have foreseen the first-half drama, which saw Cas go in front through Eden's well-worked effort but then they failed to build on extensive field position and possession against a ruthless visiting side who took their few opportunities.
Gadwin Springer's try just before half-time brought Cas back within two points but they failed to build on that momentum after the break.
Widnes, pumped up with confidence following their exploits in the opening 40 minutes, turned on the style for tries by Corey Thompson and Jordan Johnstone - whose score epitomised the hosts' adventure.
Yet the Tigers, roared on by 7,600 home supporters on a sticky night, found the resolve to battle back, and were inspired by Luke Gale and Paul McShane, with the decisive finishing touches applied by Gregs Minikin and Eden.
Matt Cook's thunderous finish was the final act of a topsy-turvy game that keeps the Tigers on top.
Castleford head coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:
"It was a tough game, Widnes I thought were excellent - they played well and came with a plan.
"They got after some of our key players and put them under pressure, it was great performance.
"Ultimately it is about winning and we got over the line so we're pleased.
"The pressure is clearly on us to win the game today and you could see there was quite a few little bits and pieces that made it difficult."
Widnes head coach Denis Betts told BBC Radio Merseyside:
"Sometimes you don't get the bounce of the ball and coming out the other end with a scrappy win would be better.
"I asked for things from the team over this week and I'm getting it.
"We're hurting ourselves because we lack continuity in selection and some consistency in our training."
Castleford Tigers: Hardaker; Monaghan, Minikin, Shenton, Eden; Roberts, Gale; Lynch, McShane, Millington, Sene-Lefao, McMeeken, Massey.
Replacements: Milner, Cook, Springer, Holmes.
Widnes Vikings: Johnson; Ince, Chamberlain, Runciman, Thompson; Heremaia, Johnstone; Burke, White, Gerrard, Walker, Olbison, J Chapelhow.
Replacements: E Chapelhow, Cahill, Walker, Manuokafoa.