Things I missed at ICFF
PARO, the theraputic Robot Seal
PARO was hiding in the generally boring Japanese exhibit, and has been around for a while. It is a "mental commitment robot for psychological enrichment"- for seniors in nursing homes. "People can enjoy and be relaxed by interaction with these pet animals. Many studies show that interaction with animals is useful for people to relax, relieve mental stress, and exercise for physical rehabilitation. These are the aims of Animal Therapy."
But why a robot seal?
"While designing a robot's appearance, it is very important to keep in mind our everyday experiences and knowledge. When we see a humanoid robot, we expect the robots to run, jump, and work like human beings. Although humanoid robots are very technologically advanced, they cannot act exactly like human beings. Once initial expectations are not satisfied, users can be disappointed with robots and eventually lose interest in interacting with them. The same idea applies to robots that look like familiar animals, such as dogs and cats."
People think seals are cute but don't know how they act, so they are the perfect candidate.
More at PARO via Metropolis
Image Credit: Metropolis
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