Animal robots can benefit dementia patients says Griffith study

 
Using animal robots in the care of people with dementia has a modest but significant benefit, a new Griffith University study has revealed.
Published this week in The Journal of American Medical Directors Association (JAMDA), the study follows on previous research by Professor Wendy Moyle and her team at Griffith’s Menzies Health Institute Queensland, which showed that the introduction of a robotic seal called “Paro” could bring positive benefits for people with dementia, including reduced anxiety and a decreased tendency to wander.
Invented by Japanese engineers and commercially used in several countries, the Paro – which costs around $8,500 – can respond to touch, temperature and voice and can even learn its name. Paro is used as robotic pet therapy in situations in particular where live animals are no longer possible.
This latest study supported by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funding, is the largest study that has ever been conducted

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