Robotic pets provide companionship to Minnesota seniors: 'Kitty is there'

[question everything]

Growing up on a farm in Scott County, then running a family dairy operation as an adult, Darlene Schmidt was always in the company of cats.

"Barn cats, house cats, inside and outside, there were kitties around," said her daughter Diane Nelson.

Now widowed and living in memory care in Shakopee, Schmidt, 86, still has a cat — one that meows, blinks and, when petted, vibrates slightly with a contented purr.

But this orange tabby is battery-operated.

"It looks a lot like a cat she once had," said Nelson. "When I took it out of the box, the look on her face was pure love. She petted and petted her."

Schmidt's Kitty is a robotic pet, one of a new breed of electronic cats and dogs that can pant, yawn, whine and wag; some even have an audible heartbeat. They have been designed specifically for older people, especially those with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. The lifelike animals can be soothing and can provide much needed companionship or a distraction from dislocation or pain.

(snip)

Robotic pets offer an almost-real response to light, touch and sound. Employing motion detector technology, electronic animals are expressive; their software lets them turn their heads and make authentic noises, barking or mewing to react to their environment. For family caregivers and senior housing managers, offering the comfort of animatronic pets is hassle-free. Unlike meeting the demands of flesh-and-blood animals, the robotic ones don't require vaccines, never have to go to the vet and don't shed.

More..

https://www.startribune.com/isolated-aging-minnesotans-are-finding-calming-companions-in-robotic-pets/600023620/




(They did not provide a photo of the kitty.., only a dog..)

[hlthe2b]

1. They have their place. But, I can't bear to think of a time I can't have the "real" thing.

And real dogs and cats need US as much as we need them.

That said, I think this is a wonderful development for dementia patients who might not always be able to interact properly with "the real thing."

[question everything]

2. And for many nursing homes residents where a "real thing" cannot be allowed

[Doreen]

3. Oh come on!!

The reality of having a face in your face when you wake up would be gone. I mean, can you program it to trip you? Can you program it to sit on the arm of the chair next to you and start licking its ass? Can you program it to meow at the most inappropriate times? Can you program it to jump on your full bladder ten minutes before the alarm goes off? I mean, come on, a cat who is always well behaved? Where is the fun in that?