Published on: January 19, 2012
by Huffington Post:
Who do you turn to when you feel depressed, or even just a little down? A friend or a pet or perhaps? In Japan, elderly sufferers of depression can now turn to Babyloid, the robot baby designed to help ease depression.
Masayoshi Kano, a Japanese designer, created the robot for senior citizens who are prone to depression, based on the idea that they want something to do or care for in order to feel useful. The robot mimics the sounds and movements of a baby, including blinks and smiles.
Babyloid coos and sheds blue LED tears when it’s sad or blushes pink in the cheek when it’s happy. Just like a well-behaved baby, it will fall asleep when rocked, giving important positive feedback to its patient companion.
If it doesn’t look real, at least the Babyloid sounds real. Babyloid inventor Masayoshi Kanoh recorded the sounds of his youngest child to make the robot sound realistic.
Tests in some retirement homes show that people played with Babyloid for an average of 7-8 minutes at a time.
At £17,000 for each prototype Babyloid, that’s an expensive hug.
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/01/19/babyloid-robot-comforts-elderly-japan_n_1215743.html
Staying socially connected is extremely important for our overall health, including our brain health. A 2019 review article published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that various aspects of social isolation, including low levels...
Although it’s great to celebrate the big achievements, it’s also important to celebrate the small wins.
Women are affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in much larger numbers than men. Approximately two-thirds of Canadians and Americans living with dementia are women. Why are women disproportionately affected? Partly, it...
The material presented through the Think Tank feature on this website is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. WBHI strongly advises all questioners and viewers using this feature with health problems to consult a qualified physician, especially before starting any treatment. The materials provided on this website cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. The materials are not exhaustive and cannot always respect all the most recent research in all areas of medicine.
