Researchers at Georgetown University have been using robot cats to help treat patients recovering from surgery or succumbing to dementia. By providing some companionship without needing much care (beyond the occasional fresh set of batteries), the NeCoRo from Omron helps patients “increase focus and decrease aggression.” The pair of robot psychology researchers who ran the project say that future models of robotic pets could even remind patients when to take medication, such as the anti-depressants we’ll all soon be taking as we realize any emotions we feel towards animals and even each other are simply autonomic responses that can be successfully triggered and emulated by machines.
Robot cat gives patients happy felines [e-Health-Insider]
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Sega’s Near Me Robot Cat [Gizmodo]
https://gizmodo.com/segas-near-me-robot-cat-20476
