BOSTON: Yet another company has launched a pet-like robot for the healthcare market hoping to harness the positive effects that animal companions demonstrably have on ill people while avoiding maintenance costs and possible allergy issues.
Unlike the bearoid robot ROBEAR, introduced earlier this week in Japan, the JustoCat, developed by researchers at Mälardalen University in Sweden, has no other purpose but to become a furry companion of dementia patients.
Expected to appear in Sweden’s mental care facilities soon, the robocat is designed to evoke positive recollections people may have associated with spending time with the felines, thus unblocking the access to seemingly forgotten memories.
The cat breaths, purrs and meows, just like a real one, compared to which it offers certain advantages. It’s hypoallergenic coat is washable and easily meets high hygienic demands of the hospital environment. The robocat doesn’t need to be fed, doesn’t produce any waste and can be easily replaced with an identical unit in case of death. It also doesn’t carry infectious disease and cannot hurt anyone, an obvious risk associated with sometimes unpredictable animals…