How can a baby robot seal be a medical device?

In studies of human-robot interaction, Paro has been found to have a calming, anxiety-reducing effect on distressed elderly patients as well as a positive effect on social stimulation and communication. This is similar to how animal-assisted therapy has been associated with a reduction in pain (both physical and emotional) and improved healing (both body and mind). And that's no surprise; developed in 2003 by Japanese engineer Takanori Shibata at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Paro's based on the successes of using animals in therapeutic ways to help patients overcome both physical and mental health problems.

Animal-assisted therapy has been found to significantly improve both the mental and physical well-being of not only patients, but also their family members and caregivers. Petting and interacting with animals, it turns out, is more than just fun: It makes us feel good both emotionally and physically (it releases endorphins in our bodies, which naturally help lessen our pain), it lowers our stress levels (and our blood pressure) and it makes us feel a little less lonely. And this interaction also helps boost communication among patients and caregivers.

Paro is just as powerful as a live animal -- minus the vet bills and the pooper scooper. Interacting with the robot seal improves brain function in elderly patients experiencing declines in mental faculties and mood associated with mid to late stages of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease as well as other cognitive problems. Over time, interaction with Paro may not only prevent cognitive disorders from worsening, but also from developing. And just as studies have found to be true with live therapy animals, Paro has also proven to significantly lower both blood pressure and heart rate in elderly patients living in nursing homes -- both of which significantly increased after interactions with the therapeutic plush robot ended [source: Robinson].

The therapeutic effectiveness of Paro and other therapy robots is also still under review and results of long-term studies are still unknown, but evidence suggests robot therapy may be an alternative non-pharmacological option for elderly patients with dementia and mood disorders. Therapy robots may also help reduce the costs of long-term care for elderly patients living with dementia, although the use of toy-like robots instead of traditional pharmacological therapies is part of a larger ethical debate over the use of human-robot interaction as a form of unconventional therapy versus traditional caregiving.

Other types of therapy robots can be found in clinical environments, from those that are also plush -- like the soft toy that looks like an Easter Peep used to help overstimulated autistic kids to calm down (Keepon) -- to LEGO-built robots used to manage phobias (Phobot).

MIT-Manus is another example of a therapy robot; this one helps patients relearn basic motor skills after experiencing a stroke. And the data collected and stored on every patient who uses this type of robot can help clinicians evaluate their patients' overall improvement or decline more effectively.

In addition to the aforementioned Keepon, there are other therapy robots to help kids with autism, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) or other developmental issues to grow, practice and improve their social skills. The NAO robot (which is pronounced "now"), for example, offers kids a safe and predictable interactions -- and the developers behind the 'bot have found that autistic kids are more responsive to the machine than they are to other humans. Social robots may also collect data helpful for clinicians to better diagnose autism, such as measuring eye gaze and facial expressions in young children.