Paro
Rating: 7/10, An effective alternative to animal-assisted therapy. Designed in 1993 by Takanori Shibata in Japan, Paro is a robot inspired by harp seals that emulates their cries and encourages physical interactions through a coat of soft white fur and puppy dog eyes. It doesn’t fetch drinks or clean floors, but was instead created to assist with social therapies that help stimulate patients with cognitive disorders like dementia or Alzheimer’s. Even with limited movements, Paro comes across as incredibly lifelike and engaging, but also comes with a $6,000 price tag, making it almost impossible to justify for someone just looking for a bot to snuggle up with.
