Merging animatronic craft with artificial intelligence and emotional design, Jennie promises the same companionship as a real pup—without the bathroom breaks or pet withdrawals. But does Jennie truly deliver meaningful comfort… and is $1,500 worth it? Let’s dig into the features, impact, and limitations of this lifelike robo‑dog.

The Origins of Jennie: A Story Close to the Heart

Jennie’s creation isn’t just engineering—it’s empathy engineered. Tombot CEO Tom Stevens was inspired when he had to rehome his mother’s beloved dog after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Beyond grief, this loss exacerbated her loneliness and depression. Determined to fill that void, Stevens founded Tombot in 2017 and set out to create a realistic, interactive robotic pet designed specifically for people with dementia.

Working alongside healthcare experts, families, and animatronics specialists, Tombot partnered with the world-famous Jim Henson’s Creature Shop to create Jennie’s physical design. The result is a product that feels more like a real dog than any other companion bot on the market.

Attention to Detail: What Makes Jennie So Real

Before marking Jennie as “just another toy,” it’s worth looking closely at the layers of thoughtful design that make her so lifelike and comforting.

Jennie’s realism is no accident. She was crafted with the same technology used to bring Hollywood creatures to life, thanks to the expertise of the Jim Henson Creature Shop. Her fur is soft and realistic, her facial expressions are dynamic, and her movements are nuanced. Unlike static plush toys, Jennie moves her head, tail, ears, and even her eyebrows—adding emotional expression to every interaction.

Jennie also features:

• Touch sensors embedded throughout her body that detect different types of interaction such as petting, tickling, or hugging.
• Voice recognition that allows her to learn and respond to her assigned name and simple commands.
• Dog-like sounds based on real recordings of golden retriever puppies to enhance realism and emotional connection.
• Customizable behaviors via an optional mobile app that lets caregivers adjust her responsiveness, sound levels, and emotional tone.
• Long battery life, capable of lasting an entire day on a single charge. She plugs in easily like a smartphone and is always ready for cuddles the next day.

Importantly, Jennie is a lap dog by design. She doesn’t walk or roam—reducing the risk of falls for seniors with mobility concerns. Her purpose is to sit, interact, and emotionally engage.

Therapeutic Intent: Clinical Support & Health Goals

Jennie isn’t just cute—she’s therapeutic. Tombot has designed Jennie from the ground up to support people with cognitive and emotional health challenges, especially those who may no longer be able to safely care for live animals.

Tombot is working with more than a dozen clinical partners, including hospitals and assisted living communities, to test Jennie’s effectiveness in real-world caregiving settings. Early studies and anecdotal feedback suggest that Jennie can reduce agitation, anxiety, and depression—especially in seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment.

But Jennie’s potential goes beyond dementia care. Families of children with autism, veterans with PTSD, and adults with depression or mobility limitations have also expressed interest. For individuals who can’t have a pet due to allergies, housing restrictions, or physical limitations, Jennie offers a safe, interactive alternative.

A key advantage over many other robot companions is Jennie’s combination of AI-driven unpredictability with gentle, pet-like responsiveness. She doesn’t just repeat programmed behaviors—she reacts in varied ways, making each interaction feel a little different. This variability fosters emotional engagement and curiosity, particularly in users with memory impairments.

User Experiences & Real-World Feedback

Jennie made a major impression at CES 2025, where attendees praised her realism and interactivity. For many, the appeal was instant: she looks, feels, and behaves like a real puppy without requiring food, walks, or bathroom breaks.

Healthcare workers and caregivers who tried Jennie noted how quickly people began talking to her, petting her, and treating her like a beloved animal. Her emotional presence can encourage touch, communication, and storytelling—important benefits for people experiencing cognitive decline or emotional isolation.

Families on the waitlist have described situations where Jennie could make a real difference: cancer patients unable to care for a dog during treatment, individuals with severe depression seeking comfort without the demands of real pet ownership, or children with autism who benefit from soothing tactile interaction.

Of course, not all feedback is perfect. Some users noted that Jennie’s high level of realism can feel a bit uncanny, especially when she stares for too long or makes unexpected sounds. But for the vast majority of test users, the realism is part of what makes her feel alive.

Price vs. Purpose: Is Jennie Worth $1,500?

Jennie is expected to retail between $1,000 and $1,500. That’s no small sum for a robotic companion—but it’s significantly less expensive than some competing therapy bots on the market.

To help you decide whether she’s worth the investment, here’s a quick comparison:

Compared to high-end therapy bots like Paro (used in hospitals and care homes), Jennie offers a much more affordable alternative without sacrificing much in terms of emotional engagement. Compared to more basic robotic pets like Joy For All’s plush dogs and cats, Jennie is in a different league altogether when it comes to interactivity and realism.

If Jennie helps reduce loneliness, anxiety, or the need for medications in a dementia patient—or offers daily comfort to a person with autism or PTSD—many families may find that she’s worth every penny.

Limitations and Room for Improvement

Jennie is an impressive product, but it’s important to be aware of her current limitations.

• She doesn’t walk or move around, which may disappoint users looking for a fully mobile robotic pet.
• She’s still in development, with new features and behaviors being added regularly—some functionality may not be available at launch.
• She may feel too realistic for some, especially users who find robotic movement or sounds unnerving.
• She’s relatively expensive, especially for families without insurance coverage or clinical support.
• App features are optional, but more advanced controls may require some tech comfort from caregivers.

Tombot has stated that software updates and new behaviors will be added over time, and a walking version may be released in the future. Still, Jennie’s design is firmly focused on safe, seated interaction for now.

Final Verdict: Who Should Consider Jennie?

Jennie is not a toy. She’s a sophisticated emotional support device designed for individuals who can’t care for live animals but still crave companionship, comfort, and routine.

Ideal for:

• Seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s
• Individuals with autism, PTSD, or anxiety
• People with mobility issues or chronic illness
• Residents in pet-free care homes or hospitals

Not ideal for:

• Kids who want a walking, playful robot pet
• Users uncomfortable with hyper-realistic robotics
• Budget-conscious buyers seeking simple plush companions

Conclusion: A Worthy Companion for the Right Person

Tombot’s Jennie offers a compelling mix of realism, responsiveness, and emotional comfort. While she won’t replace a real dog, she fills a unique niche for those who need companionship but cannot safely or practically care for a living animal.

Her price reflects thoughtful engineering, strong clinical intentions, and a very specific therapeutic mission. If you or your loved one fits into the category of those who would benefit from emotional support—but who can’t accommodate the needs of a live pet—then Jennie could be a life-changing addition to your care plan.

In short, Jennie may not wag her tail at the door—but she can still warm a heart and calm a mind. For many, that’s more than worth the price.

The post Tombot Jennie Robotic Dog review (2025): Is it worth the $1,500 price tag? appeared first on RoboticsBiz.

In this regard, sexual well-being is a human right. If you recognize that sexual well-being is a human right, there is no reason to exclude the elderly and disabled or those in need of care from sexual well-being.

Unfortunately, there has been little research into what the elderly and the disabled really want, and the sexuality of residents in retirement and nursing homes seems to be a taboo topic. But the truth is they too have sexual needs just like other people.

However, today’s social situation makes it difficult to satisfy these existential concerns. The elderly and disabled may not meet suitable partners and have good relationships due to mental or physical reasons. Persons with disabilities are often not in the position to fully experience the joys of life in the same manner as every human who is capable of enjoying the physical touch, intimacy, and sexual pleasure. Besides, public healthcare tends to ignore the sexual needs of older adults as an essential part of their well-being.

Thankfully, sex robots are emerging as a tool to help realize the sexual rights of persons with disabilities. The emerging role of sex robots in human-robot interaction is also gaining remarkable attention in current discussions around robotic design, societal norms, technology, and the future of human relationships.

What are sex robots?

Sex robots are service robots that contribute directly towards improvement in the satisfaction of the sexual needs of a user. Typically, sex robots have different embodiments, including fully or partially-bodied humanoids, body parts such as arms, heads, or genitals used for sex-related tasks, or non- biomimetic robotic devices used for sexual pleasure. These robots usually display realistic sex-related body movements, have sensors to react in real-time to user interaction, and include human cues such as voice, gaze, and lipsync to support human-like HRI.

Typical sex robots include humanoids with full-body or partial-body robotic functionalities; body parts such as arms, heads, or genitals used for sex-related tasks; or non-biomimetic robotic devices used for sexual pleasure. These robots usually display realistic sex-related body movements, have sensors to react in real-time to user interaction, and include human-like features such as voice to have a small talk with the user. Depending on their embodiment, sex care robots could also be classified as physically assistive robots.

Sex robots in elderly and disabled care

Robots interact with vulnerable users in many ways, including cognitively vulnerable persons. They may even offer unimaginable possibilities, e.g., helping realize the sexual rights of disabled people.

There is a potential use of sex robots in healthcare for elder and disabled care purposes, which are currently underexplored. Beyond satisfying sexual pleasures, they can be used as a tool to help realize the sexual rights of persons with disabilities. They may help address first-time sex-related anxiety, treat sexual dysfunctions, or promote safer sex in educational settings.

Sex robots could also create a safe, non-judgmental environment for insecure people about their sexual orientation. Other more controversial applications are treatments for pedophiles and potential sex offenders.

Although there have been international efforts towards realizing the sexual rights of persons with disabilities, this topic remains an unfinished agenda for the disabled as if contemporary societies succeeded in accepting (at the time) highly controversial social phenomena like same-sex marriage and transgender people. Still, they failed to recognize people with disabilities as sexual beings. The full realization of the sexual rights of persons with disabilities requires more research and policies that understand the intersection of people, disability, and sexual rights. Policies could represent a step forward in treating people with disabilities in a dignity-respecting and non-discriminatory fashion concerning their sexual rights.

Although sex robots can certainly be used in old people’s and nursing homes, several points go against this. First, the current sex robots are strongly sexualized, making them highly inappropriate in this context. Second, they partly correspond to stereotypes perceived differently and sometimes rejected. Third, they are used in controversial environments such as brothels, aimed at private buyers and casual customers, and are not age- and disability-friendly. Finally, they are primarily aimed at men in female and male forms. For sex robots to offer a good solution to support human dignity for disabled populations, it is therefore essential to anticipate the specific physical and sex-related needs that disabled persons might have before designing sex care robots.

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Healthcare robots are systems capable of performing coordinated mechatronic actions (force or movement exertions) to support impaired individuals experiencing severe difficulties with physical, cognitive functioning, or behavioral and mental health – either temporary or permanent, acute or chronic.

Robotics technology has demonstrated a clear potential for stimulating the development of new medical treatments for a wide range of diseases and disorders, improving the standard and accessibility of care, improving patient health outcomes, filling quantitative care gaps, supporting caregivers, and assisting healthcare workers.

Every robot used in healthcare is not the same. Healthcare robots come in various levels of autonomy, and the range of robotic system niches in medicine and healthcare currently includes a diverse range of environments, user populations, and interaction modalities. The most interesting applications of healthcare robots include robotic surgery, care, and socially assistive robots, rehabilitation systems, and training for healthcare workers.

This post explores three main types of healthcare robots: surgical robots, assistive robots, and healthcare service robots.

1. Surgical robots

Surgical robots are service robots that assist surgeons during operations. Surgical robotics had evolved into a highly dynamic and rapidly growing field of application and research, attracting increasing clinical attention worldwide since the mid-1980s, when the first robotic-assisted surgical procedures were performed.

Initially designed for a specific set of surgical procedures, advances in ergonomics, computing power, hardware dexterity, safety, and surgical ease have allowed the rapid adoption and dissemination of new robotic-assisted surgical procedures. These include a growing number of minimally invasive surgical procedures, such as those involving the insertion of a small laparoscopic device into the human body rather than opening the patient up.

Increased accuracy, dexterity, tremor corrections, scaled motion, and haptic corrective feedback – all of which result in less damage to the patient’s body, more successful surgeries, and less invasive procedures that result in shorter patient recovery time and hospital stay, less pain, blood loss, visible scars and discomfort, and a lower risk of complications after the procedure.

The surgical procedures currently performed with the help of surgical robots include cardiac surgery, cosmetic surgery, dental surgery, endocrine surgery, endoscopic surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, gynecology, ocular surgery, orthopedic surgery otorhinolaryngology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, thoracic surgery, urology, and vascular surgery.

Based on the robots’ capability and the surgeon’s role in performing the desired task, surgical robots can be classified into three categories: shared-controlled, tele-controlled, and supervisory-controlled.

The shared-controlled refers to a surgical environment where one or more robotic devices work with the surgeon. The surgeon and the robotic system jointly perform the surgical procedure. The tele-controlled approach allows a human surgeon to operate the robotic surgical device (close) with no pre-programmed or autonomous elements.

The supervisory-controlled approach is the most automated, often powered by artificial intelligence (AI). It entails robotic systems programmed to perform a surgical procedure in part – but not entirely – autonomously, with the surgeon acting as a supervisor. The surgeon’s role in devising a surgical strategy and overseeing the robot’s execution remains critical.

2. Assistive robots

Assistive robots are service robots that can help people. The physical and the practical are usually linked in the concept of assistance: carrying a heavy load with an exoskeleton, performing precise surgical movements, or performing a menial task. Therefore, assistive robotics refers to robots that give physical support to people with physical disabilities.

Today, assistive robots also cover socially assistive robots (SAR), i.e., those robots that assist users through non-physical interaction using social cues with older adults in nursing homes. In this sense, assistive robots aid, assess, and motivate those in need, including patients, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. In other words, assistive robots are service robots assisting a user through physical or social interaction.

Socially assistive robots can be divided into therapy robots and care robots. Therapy or therapeutic robots are used for robotherapy, in which a series of coping skills are oriented towards physical rehabilitation. Care robots provide assistance in the form of care, including companionship, pet therapy, active assisted living, and sex care.

3. Healthcare service robots (HSR)

In addition to the robots that assist doctors and other medical personnel during procedures and other therapeutic applications, some robots aid in the delivery of care and support the work of doctors and other medical personnel in other ways. These robots assist in the delivery of medication and supplies and improve patient-doctor communication and clean hospital facilities. Healthcare service robots are the name for these robots (HSR).

HSRs can streamline routine tasks, reduce the physical demands on human workers, and ensure more consistent processes. These robots can also keep track of inventory and place timely orders, helping make sure supplies, equipment, and medication are needed at the relevant time. Mobile Cleaning and disinfection robots allow hospital rooms to be quickly sanitized and readied for incoming patients. HSRs can also be an excellent tool for sanitary reasons, vital in care settings.

There is a wide variety of healthcare service robots available today, namely routine task robots (delivering food and medicine, pushing beds, carrying linens, or transferring lab specimens), telepresence robots, disinfectant robots, delivery robots, remote inpatient care robots, automated dispensing robots, remote outpatient care robots, infection prevention robots, and general cleaning robots.

The post Different types of healthcare robots explained appeared first on RoboticsBiz.

From Heineken’s beer dispensing droid to the AI-enabled physician’s helper, companion robots seamlessly fulfill specific human needs and functions. How? 3D cameras.

David Chen, director of engineering at Orbbec, says 3D cameras are what allow these digital sidekicks to analyze, navigate and monitor both their environment and the humans around them.

In an exclusive interview with RoboticsBiz, David Chen predicted that while companion robots are currently playing a specific and important role in assisting the elderly and those with disabilities, we are not off out from robots providing multifunctional roles in most households. Chen believes that the advancements in 3D cameras will continue to enhance the capabilities of companion robots.

Read the complete interview below:

1. 3D imaging is one of the hot topics in robotics today. Unlike 2D, 3D vision allows a robot to detect the orientation and recognize an object with complex geometries and reflective properties in low light conditions. Can you give us an idea about the new breakthroughs/advancements happening in 3D sensing technology today?

Depth-sensing solutions have already been widely used in robotics technology, but typically people are referencing LiDAR technology. This is a point or line-based technology which has been used for some time combined with RGB/2D vision systems. This combination provides robots with the measurements needed to recognize and navigate their environment.

The downside of LiDAR is always related to the performance-cost ratio. Full-field high-performance LiDAR usually has a higher price compared to the low-cost LiDARS, which are usually only capable of single point (scanning) measurement.

What we are seeing right now is 3D cameras gradually taking the place of conventional RGB/2D cameras and LiDAR combination models. 3D cameras provide a much more detailed and reliable vision system with the ability to gather three-dimensional full-field information, which robots can then use to analyze with a high level of accuracy. The imaging ability of 3D cameras is constantly improving – with the ability to detect and analyze further distances and capture accurate images with fewer concerns for environmental conditions. On top of that, 3D cameras are more competitive in cost while providing similar functions to the current RGB/2D camera and LiDAR combination.

Now for the robotics industry, there are specific 3D advancements being made that are very exciting. One of the most important advancements is deep learning-based 3D reconstruction. Unlike conventional 3D reconstruction methods, deep learning-based 3D reconstruction can provide very detailed results with an acceptable accuracy rate – while conventional 3D reconstruction can provide higher accuracy but less detailed 3D data. Such detailed 3D data for tracking and recognizing are urgently needed by robotic developers.

2. In May, Orbbec announced a collaboration with Microsoft to introduce new cameras in 2022 to satisfy the burgeoning demand for 3D sensing technology. Can you tell us about this collaboration?

This is a very exciting time at Orbbec as we begin a great partnership with Microsoft. We are collaborating with them to develop a new series of high-performance 3D cameras for developers and solution providers worldwide.

Encompassing Microsoft’s market-leading 3D sensor technology and Orbbec’s manufacturing and unique embedded computing design capabilities, we will introduce new ToF cameras next year. The camera will securely connect to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform and leverage device management, data streaming, and AI analytics capabilities that can run advanced depth vision algorithms and use onboard computing to convert raw data into precise depth images. Designed for advanced human/machine interface, robotics, 3D scanning, and surveillance use, as well as gaming and other consumer applications.

3. What role does Orbbec play in developing companion and service robots, especially in human-robotic interaction?

Orbbec’s main task in this industry is to provide early-stage imaging for robotic vision systems. We are creating scenario-oriented cameras that are specifically designed to help a robot complete its programmed task. What makes our solutions unique is that we can also incorporate embedded computing solutions in our camera hardware, such as single-board computers, to help the customer build a customized vision system.

We are currently working on a series of accessories that can accompany these systems. For example, precisely manufactured optical frames/mounts will help the robot builder or manufacturer set up the vision system more easily. And, we are also able to provide some manufacturing services to those in the robot companion and service industries – especially for smaller companies lacking supply chain capabilities.

4. Can you tell us about your new Time-of-Flight (ToF) camera product line? 

Time of Flight (ToF) depth technology has evolved over the last two decades and is commonly being used for SLAM, navigation, inspection, tracking, object identification, and obstacle avoidance. It is a powerful vision technology for assisting in the evolution of the robotics industry.
Earlier this year, we introduced a new ToF sensor, Femto, that can scan objects with high accuracy at a depth-of-field ranging from 0.2 to 5 meters. Its state-of-the-art depth algorithm makes it perfect for all kinds of applications. This expertly extends the use of 3D imaging for a wide range of environmental requirements, such as high-temperature environments and complete darkness.

Orbbec is unique in the marketplace for its ability to deliver ToF cameras with embedded computing capability. Unlike many rival ToF cameras, Orbbec Femto can output high-quality depth data without other external computing capabilities, giving users significantly greater design and application flexibility.

5. Do you have any predictions about the future of 3D sensing technology? What will the future look like in the next five years? 

In five years, 30 percent of RGB/2D cameras will be replaced with 3D cameras. 3D depth cameras provide one more dimension of image details for robots to “see,” which is particularly critical for the industry. Additionally, 3D systems address growing privacy concerns. Anyone can read or view a 2D image. But 3D images rely on a point cloud system which makes personal information (images) no longer required. Therefore, 3D vision systems provide an extra layer of privacy that people will be looking for in their imaging solutions.

As more depth cameras begin to replace traditional RGB cameras, the cost and barrier for advanced technology solutions, like companion or service robots, will drop. This gives more industries, at every level, the opportunity to incorporate these solutions into their business.

The post 3D cameras revolutionize companion robots – David Chen of Orbbec [Interview] appeared first on RoboticsBiz.

Now, with an accumulation of innovations in artificial intelligence (AI), sensors, and battery technology, robots have acquired the ability to enter our workplaces and homes. These social robots are designed to interact with us and exhibit social behaviors such as recognizing, following, and assisting their owners, and engaging in conversation.

These social robots trigger various discussions, ranging from the dark side of artificial intelligence to the future of work and the impact on social interactions. One of the most interesting ones is whether there will be a recognizable border between humans and robots.

To further discuss the opportunities offered by social robots and the potential impact on our social life, we are glad to introduce John Suit, who is working as the advising chief technology officer at robotic dog company KODA.

We had a chance to interview John Suit, currently responsible for innovation and the technical direction of KODA, Inc, as well as Cyber Reliant. Cyber Reliant is the leading provider of next-generation Cryptographic and Dynamic Content Provisioning technologies for Organizations that require the most advanced content assurance and secure mobile communications.

Prior to Cyber Reliant, John was most recently the CTO of Xceedium Inc., which was acquired by CA Technologies. Prior to Xceedium, John co-founded Nano Network Engines, which became Fortisphere. Before Fortisphere, John was the VP of Advanced Technology for Cloakware. John holds over 40 U.S. and International Patents in Information Security Analysis and Securing Cloud Environments, with several additional patents pending.

You can read the complete interview below:

1. Over the last several years, there is an increasing interest in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) due to the rising usage of robots in industrial fields and in other areas as schools, homes, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. Therefore, there is a growing need for developing behavioral models for social robots to have a high-quality interaction and acceptability in providing useful and efficient services. However, it is also true that how people will accept, perceive, interact, and cooperate with these machines in their life as social beings are still somewhat unknown. What is the current social perception of such socially skillful, artificially intelligent machines? Will robots be the companions of the future?

Robots with human characteristics and robots that are meant to emulate “cute and cuddly” animals will have very different paths towards acceptance; this path mirrors the differences humans meet both other humans and a visibly friendly animal. When we meet a stranger, there is often a period of time where the trust needs to be earned, and a relationship needs to be established. This trial period is extended when a human comes into contact with a humanoid robot.

When a dog approaches someone, playfully wagging its tail, we’re more likely to let our guard down and play along. I believe that robotic animals, designed to do everything a mobile device can do, in addition to socializing with humans, providing physical guidance, companionship, and even protection, will be more quickly accepted by a new owner or user.

Sci-fi has given us Skynet and replicants, with the caveat that this is all fantasy. But when that fictional future looks closer to reality, there is a collective concern we start to feel. Before we’ve even come into contact with a humanoid robot, we’re already coming from a place of fear. When these robots become more commonplace, the trust that they will need to overcome far exceeds the trust currently necessary for humans to form relationships with strangers.

2. To achieve fluent and effective human-like communication, social robots must be endowed with the capability to understand feelings, intentions, and beliefs of the user, which are not only directly expressed by the user, but that is also shaped by bodily cues (i.e., gaze, posture, facial expressions) and vocal cues (i.e., vocal tones and expressions). Could you talk about the key advancements in empowering robots with cognitive and affective capabilities to establish empathetic relationships with users?

There have been tremendous advancements in capabilities to understand feelings, intentions, and beliefs of the user, which are not only directly expressed by the user, but that is also shaped by bodily cues (i.e., gaze, posture, facial expressions) and vocal cues (i.e., vocal tones and expressions) This evolved out of both facial recognition systems, initially intended to identify an individual and attempt to determine ill intent or nefarious purposes on behalf of the individual being observed. Mood systems evolved from multi-camera and temperature sensors coupled with algorithms that have made it all the way to social media mood displays for entertainment on our handheld devices.

3. What are the challenges social robotics companies are yet to solve?

Social Robot companies need to convey value beyond a single or very small set of use cases. The benefit of real AI, especially in decentralized AI learning robots, is that the robot can be used for almost anything that benefits from observation, guidance, memory, instruction, physical assistance, and most importantly, reasoning and recall. For example, a KODA robotic dog may one day be acquired to aid a visually impaired child with all their day to day needs as an organic service animal may, but a KODA that included real learning through its decentralized AI systems will detect when the child is under distress, scared, or otherwise needs assistance.

Additionally, the robot will gather the data surrounding the child as it navigates in an environment from large cities to rural locations. If help is needed, the robot can communicate through a varying array of onboard devices to get assistance, information, two way or group communication, all while recording all that is happening, if desired. The challenge of conveying the value beyond the single-use case will be key.

4. Tell us about KODA.

KODA is a social robot. It’s designed to be functional from pragmatic and emotional perspectives. KODA’s blockchain-enabled decentralized AI infrastructure allows the robot dog to serve a multitude of purposes: from family companions to seeing-eye dogs, from an ever-vigilant guard dog to a powerful supercomputer capable of helping science solve some of its most complex problems, the learning power of KODA makes it future proof in both its evolution and application.

5. Is it true that KODA’s robotic dog can evolve from a puppy-like state to a robotic dog with the intelligence of a supercomputer? Can you explain how?

KODA’s potential is rooted in its ability to utilize its decentralized AI to learn and grow. The dogs are shipped with domain knowledge – a base level understanding. And when they are unboxed, they have the ability to add to this domain knowledge as they interact and observe the environment around their owner.

It’s not that different from how humans develop wisdom. It extends beyond just learning and figuring out how to do something – it’s understanding how to take those findings and putting them into practice.

The best example I can think of is that when you progress through your life, you are presented with challenges that you attempt to overcome or ignore. As you overcome challenges, you gain knowledge. You usually have to overcome similar challenges more than once, and typically, several times. Through ephemeral memory loss, it ensures you will develop multiple ways to come at a new challenge, with the most optimal solution learned over time. If you ignore a challenge, the challenge tends to be harder the next time you face it.

Eventually, as you tackle multiple challenges and gain knowledge on how to handle them with ease, you develop wisdom.

If a KODA learns how to climb a set of stairs, it may be beneficial for its instruction to employ ephemeral memory loss, so it will forget it learned how and will attempt it again and again, starting fresh to reason how to climb the stairs, while retaining the essence of having learned how to do things with different environmental conditions, interactions, and unaccounted for variables. It should employ different tactics with different attempts. If the user’s young son left his toy on the steps, it might learn something entirely new for just that session. It’s this level of learning that is the next major breakthrough in robotics, and I believe KODA is the ideal platform for it.

6. How is it different from other robotic dogs in the market?

There is no other Robotic dog available with the computing power, Decentralized AI, potential for real learning for unlimited use cases, and in my opinion, as cute as a KODA.

The post Interview with John Suit, advising CTO at robotic dog company KODA appeared first on RoboticsBiz.

Meet Dinesh Patel, who built “Shalu,” the first social humanoid robot from India that can speak nine Indian languages and 38 foreign languages. All parts of this robot are custom-made with aluminum, plastic, and other materials. None of the components is 3D-printed.

Shalu can recognize faces, identify objects, shake hands, and show simple emotions like happiness and anger. It can initiate conversations based on any predefined scripted social content using Artificial Intelligence. It can also solve simple math problems/equations, tell about chemistry elements, and conduct a short quiz on specified areas.

It can act as a personal assistant, reply to emails and send SMS, deliver weather reports based on the date and daily news, readout sun sign horoscopes, recipes, book author name, about movies, phone models, etc. We had a chance to interview Dinesh Patel, and let’s hear more from the creator himself.

1. Before we talk about Shalu, could you tell us a bit about yourself? How did it all start?

I am a Computer Science teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya, IIT Bombay, Mumbai. I work with India’s ambitious young minds as part of my job. The idea to build a humanoid came to my mind after seeing the popular social humanoid robot Sophia during its visit to IIT Bombay. I thought of building a similar robot in India cheaply without compromising the key functionalities.

I started to think about the ways how the robot could be made and how it would function. Once I was convinced that it is achievable, I started to work on the robot during my free time, after work. I only used parts purchased from the local market. These items are readily available, and none of them are costly robotics equipment. India being a developing country, it is challenging to procure complex 3D printed parts for robotics. The cost of such items is unimaginably high. For Shalu, I used Raspberry Pi, Arduino microcontroller, and open-source software/libraries like Python, Tensorflow, NLTK, etc.

2. Tell us all about Shalu. What can it do, and what was the inspiration?

Shalu, we call her “अपनी Robo Shalu,” is a social-educational humanoid robot which I built during my free time as a hobby. It is the first robot in the world that can speak nine Indian languages. This low-cost robot has all capabilities common to all other humanoid robots today. It can answer a verbal question, express human gestures and emotions like happiness and anger, recognize faces and objects, make jokes, and act as a personal assistant. Shalu can work as a teacher, answer students’ queries, conduct verbal quizzes, and serve as a receptionist at airports, banks, schools, offices, etc. It can also respond to emails. After Sophia, the second inspiration for me to build Shalu was director S. Shankar’s sci-fi movie “Robot” (Enthiran).

3. It’s a good thing to note that, like you, there are a handful of ambitious robotics engineers out there in India today, building promising humanoid robots for various purposes. Tell us about the multiple challenges you face right now, especially in India, where the humanoids are yet to find a mass-market or to become a part of our daily lives as technology progresses.

The robotics research community in India is relatively small compared to other countries like Japan, Korea, and the USA. The percentage of startups working in this field and the investors looking to fund robotics startups is also sparse. I have faced difficulties in procuring quality parts for my robot. We lag behind in manufacturing technologies when compared to countries like China.

I had approached a few corporates for sponsorship of my research. There are not many investors or corporates willing to fund researches in robotics in India. I am sure that India will emerge as a prominent player in robotics research within the next few decades. I find that the new generation of youngsters is far more enthusiastic and willing to take risks. Within the next two decades, India will see numerous startups tackling significant problems using robotics, and that will be a gamechanger.

4. Tell us how learning coding and robotics are shaping the Indian education system.

The new generation is surrounded by more computing devices than anyone else in the past. They seem to grasp things much quicker. In my experience, coding appeals to youngsters, unlike disciplines like Physics or Mathematics. The reason seems to be the tangible and hands-on nature of the subject. They can play and experiment with programming languages, unlike serious mathematical problems in Physics and Mathematics. When taught at the right age, programming can appeal perfectly to young children’s curiosity and exploring minds. Many of my students have worked on projects in their spare time, and it inspires me and keeps me passionate about my vision.

In my opinion, programming is a great tool to teach problem-solving, decision making, and collaboration. Robotics and coding should be more encouraged in schools. The ability to code also enables many job opportunities today. With increasing automation and improvements in Artificial Intelligence, I genuinely feel the world requires much more researchers and engineers to work in software and robotics.

5. Can you tell us about some of the top global robotics trends right now, amid COVID-19 and extensive automation. What is the future of robotics in the next five years?

We have reached an age of extensive automation in manufacturing and other industries. Within the next five to ten years, we would most likely see robotics tackling big challenges spread across numerous domains. Robots will be a gamechanger in the medical field. Thousands die worldwide due to medical errors during surgeries and incorrect diagnoses. Robots could perform these surgeries with far greater precision than human surgeons. In the future, we will see more robots in hospitals. We will also see social robots, providing aging adults the care and companionship they require, solving the series of social and economic problems brought about by aging population.

The post Interview with Dinesh Patel, who built the humanoid ‘Shalu’ appeared first on RoboticsBiz.

According to a recent study by Oracle and HR research and advisory firm Workplace Intelligence on over 12,000 employees, managers, HR leaders, and C-level executives across 11 countries, 70% of people have suffered more stress and anxiety at work this year than any other previous year.

This has created a new set of problems like lack of work-life balance (35%), burnout (25%), depression from no socialization (25%), loneliness (14%), the pressure to meet performance standards (42%), handling routine and tedious tasks (41%), and juggling unmanageable workloads (41%).

Notably, the impact is not confined to professional lives! People are feeling the effects at home, too. The most common repercussions are sleep deprivation (40%), poor physical health (35%), reduced happiness at home (33%), suffering family relationships (30%), and isolation from friends (28%).

The interesting part of the study comes next. Over 82% of people prefer socially assistive robots instead of other people to help in this crisis. In other words, people expect more from technology than collaboration tools to support their mental health. Why? They strongly believe that robots can provide a judgment-free zone (34%), an unbiased outlet to share their problems (30%), and quick answers to their health-related questions (29%).

68% of people prefer to talk to a robot over their manager about stress and anxiety at work. 80% of people are open to having a robot as a therapist or counselor. A small number of people (18%), however, would prefer humans over robots.

75% of people say AI has helped their mental health at work. The top benefits noted were providing the information needed to do their job more effectively (31%), reducing stress by helping to prioritize tasks (27%), and automating tasks and decreasing workload to prevent burnout (27%).

AI has also helped the majority (51%) of workers shorten their workweek and allowed them to take longer vacations (51%). Over half of the respondents say that AI technology increases employee productivity (63%), improves job satisfaction (54%), and improves overall well-being (52%).

Notably, socially assistive robots (SARs) with audio, visual, and movement capabilities can play a significant role in assisting people with managing their physical and psychological well-being, besides significantly reducing the risk of infectious disease transmission to frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic. They can reinforce psychological strategies suggested by health experts for users to cope with negative mental states and stress and reduce the adverse health outcomes wrought by social isolation and loneliness.

As social companions for socially isolated people, robots are also capable of playing a significant role in providing in-home methods for monitoring users’ mental and emotional state, especially non-adolescent children and people of 65 years of age and older. They can identify depressive symptoms due to social isolation caused by COVID-19 and connect them with professional help.

The older populations are at the most significant risk of becoming seriously ill and dying from the disease during the pandemic. They may face extended quarantine and prolonged physical distancing beyond what is recommended for the general population. Social robots increase their access to and control over resources and decrease their vulnerability without violating physical distancing or isolation in their pursuit of well-being.

Let’s sum up. To date, most discussion on the role of robots during the COVID-19 has focused only on functions, such as decontamination, telemedicine, logistics such as food delivery and handling of contaminated waste, and reconnaissance, such as monitoring compliance with quarantines.

Diagnostic roles for robots have also garnered attention, including piloting a prototype robot to remotely collect nasopharyngeal swabs for testing. It is good that the medical community is slowly becoming aware of the valuable role that sociable robots can play in reducing social isolation and loneliness for future infectious disease outbreaks.

The post COVID-19 and mental health: Why socially assistive robots are better than humans appeared first on RoboticsBiz.

Though there is no known cure for ASD, several types of interventions have proven to be effective, including behavioral interventions. These interventions are capable of increasing language and communication skills, improving social behaviors, joint attention and behaviors of imitation, decreasing stereotypical behaviors, and accelerating developmental rates relative to IQ.

With the rapid growth in technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in recent years, researchers have explored the possible therapeutic benefits of social robots or socially assistive robots (SAR) on children with ASD. Studies show that social robots have a multitude of beneficial outcomes for children with ASD, including increased engagement, development of social skills, the emergence of new social behaviors, and reduced social anxiety.

Robots in autism therapy are designed to take up numerous roles, even within the same therapy session. Through games and engaging activities, the robots can interact with the children to train them with skills, elicit specific, desirable behaviors, and provide encouragement and positive feedback upon the successful completion of a task.

Benefits of social robots in autism therapy for children

• As opposed to group therapy sessions, one-child-one-robot scenarios allow the robot to direct its undivided attention to a single child, with activities and therapy, personalized for every child in accordance with its preferences, disabilities, and needs.
• Robots in autism therapy act as behavior eliciting agents, promoting important target behaviors like imitation, eye contact, turn-taking, and self-initiation to accelerate sensory, cognitive, social, emotional, and motor developments.
• A social robot can serve as a mediator between the child and the therapist by training the child with social skills to extend the learned behaviors to the child’s social peers.
• Robots can serve as social actors, enacting suitable behaviors in specific social situations to give the child opportunities to learn. The robot accomplishes this through its predictable but progressively changing actions.

This post will look at the top eight social robots built and designed to assist in teaching new skills to children with autism and help them benefit more from educational sessions.

1. QTrobot

Features:

• This adorable robot by LuxAI has two mobile arms and a big head with a large LCD screen that acts as the robot’s face.
• It can see, hear, and speak thanks to a RealSense 3D camera, a sensitive microphone, and powerful speakers.
• It can convey a wide range of emotions with clear visual cues, making it easier for someone with autism to recognize.
• It stands around two feet tall and weighs about 5 kg.
• Easily to program and personalize.

2. Nao

Features:

• This two-foot-tall robot by Aldebaran Robotics can walk, talk, dance, and engage kids in several activities.
• It can read facial expressions and maintain appropriate eye contact.
• Nao can even offer a child a congratulatory high-five.
• This fully programmable platform can track objects and recognize speech.
• Speech recognition and dialogue available in 20 languages.
• It has cameras, microphones, speakers, touch sensors, and LEDs
• It has 25 degrees of freedom.

3. Milo

Features:

• This advanced social robot uses children’s voices to strengthen their communication skills.
• He is a two-foot-tall humanoid who can interact with people using vocal and facial expressions.
• He consistently delivers lessons in a way that learners with ASD respond to.
• Milo delivers lessons verbally. As he speaks, symbols are displayed on his chest screen.
• Throughout the lessons, Milo will ask your learner to watch four to five-second video clips on the student tablet.

4. Kaspar

Features:

• This child-sized interactive humanoid act as a social mediator to help children to explore basic emotions.
• It uses a range of simplified facial and body expressions, gestures, and speech to interact with children and help break social isolation.
• It can respond autonomously to touch, using sensors on its cheeks, arms, body, hands, and feet.
• It can engage in several interactive play scenarios to help children learn fundamental social skills such as imitation and turn-taking.
• It enables cognitive learning by playing games involving personal hygiene or food.
• Kaspar can hold a comb, toothbrush, or spoon.
• It can jointly sing a song.

5. Moxie

Features:

• This wide-eyed robot is one-foot tall.
• It can make eye contact, reads facial expressions, and converses with children.
• It helps children explore different human experiences, ideas, and life skills, including kindness, friendship, empathy, or respect.
• It can initiate activities like drawing, reading, or even meditating and teaching kids essential life skills like turn-taking, active listening, emotion regulation, empathy, and problem-solving.

6. Jibo

Features:

• Jibo has high-resolution cameras, built-in speakers, modules for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, LCD touch screen, touch sensors, microphones, and a processor.
• This robot, with a three-cylinder robot body, has natural rotation, making the body motions smoother and more expressive.
• It can talk to children in an engaging manner. His speech engine is based on around 14,000 pre-recorded word phrases.

7. Leka

Features:

• Leka is a cute round-shaped device, designed to be unthreatening and more comfortable with making bonds with children.
• The robot lights up with colorful LEDs and plays music; it contains a screen that shows different facial expressions.
• It can display photos and videos.
• It also emits various sounds, designed to be appealing to the children.
• It can invite them to play by asking them to identify colors or objects.

8. Paro

Features:

• This therapeutic robot, which imitates the voice of a real baby harp seal, has five sensors: tactile, audition, light, temperature, and posture sensors, enabling it to perceive people and its environment.
• With the light sensor, it can recognize light and dark.
• With the tactile sensor and posture sensor, it can feel being stroked, beaten, or held.
• Paro can also recognize voice and words, such as names and greetings.
• It can also learn to behave in a way that the user prefers and to respond to its new name.

The post Eight social robots for children with autism appeared first on RoboticsBiz.

With increasing numbers of older people and a shortage of skilled labor, governments around the world may want to use robots to bridge the gap. While the adoption levels of elderly care robots remain low in comparison to other service robots market segments, the industry has been on the upside in the use of AI-equipped elderly care robots.

Senior citizens may have difficulty keeping themselves busy and active, and companionships can encourage many seniors to participate in daily activities. This is particularly true if they are retired and live alone. Leading a secluded life can lead to a lack of desire to keep your home clean, prepare proper meals, and take care of yourself. This could lead to depression or the inability to socialize.

In this article, we will look at some of the top companion and social robots for the elderly.

1.ElliQ

ElliQ is an “aging companion,” launched by Intuition Robotics, a startup founded in Israel in 2016. Designed to keep elders active, independent, and engaged, ElliQ is a robot-associate named after Norse goddess that represents old age. ElliQ is a tabletop that illuminates when you call it. Besides wellness and environmental monitoring, it uses machine learning and computer vision to provide proactive suggestions, entertainment, and activities.

Its design was inspired by the animation lamp in the Pixar logo. ElliQ does not have a face, arms or legs, but talks while keeping her human partner active and active. The robot imitates user-to-user head motions. She can look up and be excited. ElliQ is an easy-to-use social partner. She answers her phone, reads emails, and plays her partner’s music.

The robot can remind people to take their medicines or arrange cabs. It can also recall the owner’s appointments and prompt suggestions relevant to the current schedule. Older users can play games, access social media, and conduct on-screen video chats to stay connected to the outside world. ElliQ may suggest music, podcasts, or audiobooks that the user may enjoy and may also recommend health activities such as walking when the user has been engaged in long-term sedentary activity.

2. ROBEAR

RIKEN and Sumitomo Riko Limited scientists have developed ROBEAR, a nursing robot that can do tasks such as lifting a patient from a bed in a wheelchair or supporting a patient who is standing but needs help.

A successor to RIBA (2009) and RIBA-II (2011), ROBEAR is lighter than its predecessors, weighing just 140 kilograms compared to RIBA-II’s 230 kilograms, and it incorporates several features that enable it to exert force in a gentle way.

This robot is like a giant, gentle, cartoon-shaped bear. It has actuators with a meager gear ratio, which enables joints to move very fast and accurately. It also includes three types of sensors: torque sensors and tactile rubber-type capability sensors that allow gentle movement and ensure that the robot carries out power-intensive tasks such as lifting patients without jeopardizing them.

3. SAM

Founded in 2013, Luvozo created SAM, a robot companion that enhances the quality of life for elderly and disabled people. This daily companion aims to prevent the isolation of older people and to prevent them from falling. In July 2015, Luvozo began testing SAM is a leading senior community in Washington, D.C.

The human-sized, smiling robot combines state-of-the-art technology to provide residents with frequent inspection and non-medical care. SAM’s main goals were to cope with the increased operating costs, staff turnover, accidents, and isolation of the elderly. SAM enables healthcare workers to guarantee remote monitoring, physical safety, and communication between residents, loved ones, and staff.

The robot has a display and cameras that nurses can use to track and make sure they are good visually. This reduces employee intervention and travel, maximizing time, and task management. The humanoid also has sensors and SAM Fall Assessment System software. This technological package allows him to move, thus preventing falls by identifying the pitfalls. It’s a mobile robot, telepresence. Older people can see and interact with their on-screen interlocutors. They feel accompanied and obviously, feel less alone.

4. Zora

Zora is an interactive caregiver who joins residents in aerobics and singing, playing games and reading. Zora weighs only 5,7 kg and is just over 57 cm. While Zora is small, she speaks an impressive nineteen languages. Zora takes care of both children and adults.

Controlled by health professionals via tablet, Zora can lead a physical therapy class, read TV shows, weather forecasts, or local news. Assisted living facilities in adopting Zora to keep their residents entertained and active with dance and exercise.

Over 1,000 robots were sold to hospitals and care facilities so dar. The Belgian company Zora Bots makes friendly, intelligent companions with only one goal: to make your life more comfortable, fun, healthier, and relaxed. Naturally, Zora is not a substitute for a trained human caregiver or health care worker, but she makes people smile!

5. iPal

AvatarMind’s iPal is a humanoid robotic caregiver, designed to serve children and the elderly as a social companion, educator, and safety monitor. This mobile robot has legs mounted on wheels to move around the house. It can sing, dance, chat, and provide essential services. It has a wide range of motion in its arms and neck, built-in obstacle avoidance software, and a low gravity center that increases its stability. It’s 3.5 feet tall, 27.5 pounds, and comes with a built-in camera, five microphones, and WiFi / Bluetooth capabilities.

The technology allows the robot to record video and sound that can provide the best support for clinicians and family members. Family members can watch their beloved from or outside their rooms and can even interact with their beloved person remotely via iPal.

iPal provides drug reminders and other health services. iPal can also alert emergency services. It uses the Android operating system, which makes it able to run standard Android apps on the screen on its chest. Some tactile sensors are even used to feel physical interaction. iPal’s are best for seniors who need more than just conversation, but entertainment, connection, and care.

6. Care-O-Bot

Moin’s Care-O-Bot 4 is a mobile robot assistant to help the elderly in their daily lives. The new model has been updated to improve social interactions, mobility, and adaptability. It is intended to be an affordable care option with six configurable models that enable the user to measure the model according to the user’s needs and budget. It has a vaguely humanoid shape with a round head, arms, hands, trays and a rolling base. It can perform a range of household tasks such as delivering food, drinks, and medications to the user and assisting in cooking and cleaning. It can place emergency calls, host video conferences, and engage in conversations.

It features a touch screen, microphones, and speakers for multimodal user input. Face cameras allow it to adjust its behavior based on gesture and user interface recognition. A Care-O-Bot can speak through LEDs, sounds, speech-to-speech, laser, and body gestures. It is built on an open-source operating system that can be continuously changed and improved. Currently, Care-O-Bots have been successfully used in German, providing health care, companionship, and cognitive stimulation.

7. BUDDY

Blue Frog Robotics’ Buddy is an emotional companion connecting, protecting, and interacting with each family member. Designed to be a great companion for senior citizens, BUDDY can secure, assist, connect, and entertain elders at home or in older homes. He is also the perfect emotional robot to teach and play with special needs children. This market-ready, sensitive platform, and robot solution addresses robot manufacturers, distributors, or licensees who need “smart” and emotional capabilities robots.

It has a small, dome-shaped body on a fully mobile platform with three wheels. Its oblong face is full of cartoonish emotions. Buddy provides a variety of services, including home protection, social interaction, personal support, multimedia, entertainment, calendar reminders, and interactive interfaces. While a user is away, BUDDY patrols the home, alerting users of any unusual activity. It includes real-time house mapping, location, remote control, autonomous collision, and obstacle avoidance. It connects to all home smart devices that users can control through BUDDY.

It offers mobile telepresence, including Skype and Facetime connections, photo and video sharing, and social media connection. It can help user-set reminders, alarm clocks, and to-do lists and provide practical information such as weather forecasts, recipes, and traffic. It can be a storyteller or an interactive teacher. BUDDY can detect falls or unusual events in the elderly and alert emergency services. BUDDY has speech recognition software; home and object detection, recognition, and tracking capabilities.

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