Robots - Photo Gallery - Pictures, More From National Geographic Magazine

The Shimada family gathers around Paro, a cuddly, furry seal designed by Japanese roboticists to engage patients suffering from dementia--or in the Shimadas' case, to serve as a virtual pet. Its sensors allow it to discern the presence of people and respond to touch by wiggling its body and emitting seal-like cries. Its electronic brain has a rudimentary ability to learn words taught by its users and respond with sounds and movements. Some critics of social robots worry that the time spent with such devices could supplant interactions with real people, further distancing impaired people from society.