Blog

Can robots convey compassion? Connect with humans on an emotional level like other living creatures? Well, disguising a robot as a baby seal pup is one step towards blurring those lines. Engineers in Japan have created PARO, a therapeutic robot modeled after a baby Harp seal, that displays emotional responses triggered through its heat and visual sensors for a positive psychological, physical, and social affect on its user. Like animal therapy, PARO is a great tool for recovering and mentally disabled patients to cope with trauma without the side effects of drugs or prolonged therapy. Robots mimicking human responses and emotions is the next step in treating and coping with mental illnesses while also shedding light on what makes us human.