A Robot Cat
Some people like cats. Personally, I don’t get it. In my view, cats are vindictive sods who’ll happily maul your arm as much as sit on your lap. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why people have cats, but I have often presumed it was because they had some mild masochistic tendencies.
That being said though, scientists from Brown University, in collaboration with toy-maker Hasbro have just received a million dollars in funding to produce a robot cat. This cat, however, is not designed as a plaything, it’s designed to help assist the elderly.
It, therefore, isn’t going to be anything like Sony’s Aibo robot dog which is just a ‘toy’. The robot cat is designed to have therapeutic purposes.
What is it for?
In a report via the Independent, the cat is going to be designed to help assist the elderly. This is particularly for those who may live alone.
At this point, you might be wondering ‘what does assist mean exactly? Well, it’s not going to help them get in and out of the bath if that’s what you’re thinking.
The main purpose of the cat is to act as a companion and jokes aside, being lonely is not pleasant, particularly when you are old. It is thought, however, that the cat could be designed to be more than just that.
For example, concepts have been discussed which could include the cat being able to find things with the use of its AI. In addition, it is also thought that the cat could be used to give reminders, such as for doctors appointments.
The ultimate hope of the product is that it may allow seniors to remain at home and independent living for longer. While you might wonder about the product itself, you can’t argue with that, can you?
