User:Ndavi36/sandbox

Robotic pet
not much here, but i think i can work on putting more information into it. i think this topic is interesting to work with and continue it.

((( "A series of small studies have explored how bots might benefit seniors.

Researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand discovered that a robot companion -- such as the seal Paro -- can offer benefits to senior adults similar to that of a living animal, according to a small study published in the Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicinein 2013. For the study, 40 residents at a retirement home in Auckland, New Zealand, were separated into two groups of 20.

One group was assigned to interact with the seal robot Paro for two weekday afternoons for 12 weeks. Meanwhile, the other group was assigned to go on trips around the city and participate in activities, such as arts and crafts or bingo.

Before and after the 12-week period, participants in both groups completed tests intended to measure their loneliness, depression and quality of life.

After comparing how each group scored on the tests before and after the 12-week period, the researchers found that loneliness scores decreased in the Paro group, but increased in the control group. The residents also talked to each other more during the Paro sessions than the activity sessions.

Additionally, at the retirement home, an activities coordinator frequently brought her Jack Russell terrier to the facilities to interact with the residents. The researchers noticed that the residents touched and interacted with Paro more than they touched the Jack Russell terrier.

"Often residents were unable to talk to or touch the dog because the dog could choose who it interacted with, whereas the robot could be put on the lap of all residents and would respond to them. This research also found that Paro was able to impact the social environment," the researchers wrote in the study. They also noted that they have no conflicts of interest related to the research.

Similarly, a 2008 study published in the same journal found that interactive robotic dogs were effective in reducing feelings of loneliness among the senior residents of a long-term care facility.

Residents who participated in the research showed high levels of attachment to both a living and robotic canine, according to the study.

"We were told by some of the people in nursing homes that they preferred robotic pets because they would not have to worry about them if they had to be admitted to the hospital or that they couldn't take care of a living pet," said Dr. William Banks, a professor at the University of Washington and associate chief of staff in research and development at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, who was a co-author of the 2008 study.

"It showed the extent to which loneliness occurs in nursing homes [and] how many people there want and enjoy pets," he said. "I was surprised to the extent that it improved loneliness and to the extent that attachment occurred." )))

((( "Jennie has big brown eyes, soft golden fur and a tail that won’t stop wagging. Scratch behind her floppy ears, and she’ll lean in for more. She even barks on command.

But Jennie’s not a dog. She’s a prototype for Tombot, a puppy-like companion robot being developed by a Santa Clarita, California-based company of the same name as a tool for comforting people with dementia. Tombot is one of a handful of firms working on the next generation of social robots designed with seniors’ needs — and fixed incomes — in mind.

Loneliness is certainly a big problem for middle-aged and older adults, with a 2018 survey finding that about one third of adults older than 45 feel lonely. And more than 20 percent of people 60 or older are affected by neurological and mental disorders, including dementia — which can trigger depression and anxiety along with cognitive problems.

Research has linked animal-assisted therapy to improvements in mood and the quality of life for seniors, including those with dementia. The jury’s still out on whether robotic pets are as effective as their flesh-and-blood counterparts, but a recent review of studies on robopets for dementia patients linked time spent with the robots to lower levels of depression and agitation.

And since they don’t need walks, food or veterinarian visits, cuddly automatons like Tombot are considered a low-maintenance option for people who are no longer able to care for a pet.

“Pets play an important companion role whatever your age,” Andrew Sixsmith, director of the Science and Technology for Aging Research Institute at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, said in an email. “For some people with dementia, a real pet might not be feasible, so this might help.”

Monica Moreno, a senior director at the Alzheimer’s Association, expressed similar sentiments.

“Research around robotic pets and people living with dementia is somewhat limited and far from conclusive, but there is certainly anecdotal evidence to suggest that this kind of interaction may help some people living with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias,” she said in an email.

Companion robots have been on the market for years. PARO, a doe-eyed seal pup used in nursing homes since the early 2000s, has been shown to calm seniors with its cooing sounds and gently waving flippers. Newer arrivals on the market, like a 2018 reboot of Sony’s beloved Aibo robot dog, come with internet connectivity and facial recognition." )))

Summary
In New Zealand, a study was conducted on elders to show the impact of robotic pets on their mental well-being, loneliness and quality of life. The study found that the senior adults who interacted with the pets had a much more beneficial outlook on life, including a more positive mindset. The company Tombot created a prototype robotic pet that is specifically for elders who are lonely and have low-budgets. These pets will promote an easier yet more affordable lifestyle for older adults and a more low maintenance way to have the companionship of a pet.

=== List of robotic dogs === this article talks about the list of robotic dogs, it doesn't include many references, so i could add some citations along with more information on it.

=== Love and Sex with Robots === i think this is interesting and goes with my topic. it is a very brief article but once again i think i can add to it.