Animatronic pets at retirement homes a sign of how robots will contribute to our lives


  • TECH
  • Wednesday, 19 Apr 2017

GLEN ARM, Maryland: Mary Thompson sits in a hallway at Glen Meadows Retirement Community, staring aimlessly. Since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's around six years ago, it's been difficult to get the 86-year-old to interact with others, her son Mark Thompson said. 

Most of her sentences don't make sense and she doesn't talk much. But place Henry – a robotic cat – in her lap, and her whole demeanour begins to change. 

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