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Robot caregivers are saving the elderly from lives of loneliness
Relying on 300-pound bear-faced robots to help nursing home residents get out of bed in the morning is much more effective if those folks actually have a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Elderly people dealing with social isolation and loneliness are at increased risk of a variety of ailments, from cardiovascular disease and elevated blood pressure to cognitive deterioration and infection. In short, being old and alone can kill you. But robots aren't just good for improving the elderly's movement, they're surprisingly adept at keeping retirees socially, emotionally and mentally engaged as well.
The fascinating, frightening drones and robots of CES 2015
At CES 2015 you could hardly turn your head without smacking into a 4K display, but finding a robot companion takes a bit of legwork. Luckily, we trolled the halls of the LVCC and beyond to find the most exciting (and often frightening) advances in unmanned technology. From drones that track you through the desert to an Android employee with lifelike expressions, check out the video and photo tours below to witness the fascinating future of robots and drones at CES 2015. For a closer look at these robots, drones and more check out our 2015 CES Field Guide.
The Virtual Menagerie: A look back at our techno pets
Pets are great. But if you're too lazy, busy or overcome with allergies for the real thing, you have a host of digital alternatives. They've found homes on our computers, in addictive little eggs and even housed insemi-realistic representations of actual animals. Their souls may be entirely digital, but that hasn't stopped consumers from coddling and caring for these code-based creatures. Join us as we take a look at some of the digital, virtual and robotic pets that have captured our hearts over the years.
President Obama takes a minute to chat with our future robot overlords (video)
President Obama recently took some time out of the APEC Summit in Yokohama to meet with a few of Japan's finest automatons, and as always he was one cool cat. Our man didn't even blink when confronted with this happy-go-lucky HRP-4C fashion robot, was somewhat charmed by the Paro robotic seal, and more than eager to take a seat in one of Yamaha's personal transport robots. But who wouldn't be, right? See him in action after the break.
Paro robot set to bring its healing powers to the US
It's already become a star in Japan, and it now looks like the therapeutic Paro robot is about to make its US debut at long last. That'll officially happen at the Robo Business Conference and Expo in Pittsburgh this week, after which the bots will be available "shortly" for $5,000 apiece directly from a new joint venture set up by Japan's Intelligent System Co. and Walter Weisel, a former head of the Robotic Industries Association of the United States. As in Japan, it'll apparently be primarily targeted at nursing care facilities, but we can't help but think that at least a few of the critters will find their way into the hands of some slightly more mischievous individuals as well.[Via Far East Gizmos]
Japan crowns top robots in lavish Tokyo ceremony
With all these award ceremonies going down to close out the year, it's only appropriate to crown a few winners in the robotic realm as well -- you know, since they'll be law-abiding citizens someday. The Robot Awards were set up earlier this year by the Japanese government to "promote research and development in the robotics industry," and just ten creations took home prizes out of the 152 entries. The cream of the crop started with the currently-available My Spoon feeding contraption, which helps the elderly and disabled to eat with a "joystick-controlled swiveling arm." Not far behind was the Paro seal, who rocks a furry, huggable outfit with sensors beneath its whiskers that allows it to "open and close its eyes and move its flippers" when petted and held by folks in hospitals. In another instance of "robots replacing human jobs," a "mammoth, automated vacuum cleaner that uses elevators to travel between floors" was highly praised for its sucky actions. So if you're interested in seeing what other bots are taking home the jewelry (as well as the how to enter yourself in the future), be sure to hit the read link and bust out your broken translator, um, translator.[Via Yahoo]
Paro the robo seal to star in his own movie
We're not usually proponents of films with titles like "Mechanical Love," but we suppose we'll make an exception for an upcoming documentary starring a robotic seal. The movie features Paro, a therapeutic robo pet from Japan that has been named the world's most soothing robot by the Guinness Book of World Records. "Mechanical Love" might make movie history merely by not having its main robot character attempt world domination, and instead featuring Paro in his natural habitat: helping Alzheimer's patients and others in need of a furry friend at a nursing facility. We can't say it'll pack 'em into overpriced theater seats, but we're still excited for our robotic pals finally getting an even chance in the movies.[Via Robot Gossip]
