Emotional Robots

Abstract

As societies age overall, there will necessarily be a significant increase of those over 80 as well as an increase in people with dementia. We know that loneliness increases with old age, and those living with dementia are particularly at risk of social isolation. Also in advanced old age opportunities for sensory stimulation and engagement in pleasurable activities are reduced. The question is which technologies can be used to extend the range of available interventions that can enhance well-being under these circumstances. Emotional robots have been developed for activity and therapeutic purposes. This article explores the experiences with the emotional robot Paro in Denmark, Germany, and the UK, and provides principles of this robot as an activity or as a therapeutic activity.