A new robotic puppy developed to help older people, particularly those living with dementia, has been launched in the UK. Ageless Innovation, a US company with ambitions to work with the NHS, makes robotic pets which can be safer and more predictable alternatives to living animals designed to comfort adults who are lonely or who have dementia. The freckled pup robot is capable of responding to human voices, being touched and hugged with realistic dog-like sounds and has a simulated heartbeat to make it appear more life-like. The battery-powered puppy resembles a liver and white cocker spaniel thanks to its soft, tufty fur, and is small and light enough to easily rest on a lap. It will go on sale in the UK for £129 from 15 March, having previously been launched in the US last October.

By WVUA 23 Digital Reporter Anne Houtz Senior citizens, especially those in nursing homes or with family living far away, have had a higher risk of social isolation this year. This growing issue can be fixed by companionship, and the West Alabama Area Agency on Aging has developed a unique and heartwarming solution. With the help of a grant funded by the Alabama Department of Senior Services, the AAA has purchased robotic pets to help reduce risks of intensifying social isolation – and it is already helping a great deal. The West Alabama AAA has purchased 40 pets and already distributed 28 of them to clients. The robotic pets can interact with their owners through touch and voice activation, brightening the days of those who would otherwise go all day without any interaction.

It gives them a sense of nurturing and it's very comforting to have a pet around.

Robotic pets help the elderly in care homes be happy and mingle more, a new study found. Mechanical cats, dogs, bears and even baby seals can offer the companionship of the real thing - but without the constant feeding and walking. 'Robopets' are small animal-like robots with the look and behaviour of real pets and give the elderly comfort and joy while reducing agitation and loneliness, The Times reported. Playing with the robots also increased social interaction with other residents, family members and staff - as well as often sparking conversation, researchers at the University of Exeter found. Robotic pets help the elderly in care homes be happy and mingle more, a new study found.

The use of Artificial Intelligence and robotics is increasing throughout the world, it is being used across multiple sectors in multiple industries. The healthcare industry is starting to see a boom in how AI and robots can be used, and one way is through the care of the elderly. Healthcare and elderly care is a subject that gets talked about a lot. A 2017 CB Insights report has suggested that'nurses and health aides' are at the lowest risk of having their jobs taken by AI, however that doesn't mean AI and robots can't ease the role. The promise of AI helping to care for the elderly is big.

This same connection is seen in Sparky, the fifth episode of Glimpse, a new original sci-fi series from Futurism Studios (a division of Futurism LLC) and DUST. Scientists have long understood the psychological benefits of computerized companions. Studies have shown they can help combat loneliness among the elderly, motivate students in isolated communities, and even improve symptoms in dementia patients. Still, despite all of this research, one big question remains: are robotic pets as good as the real thing? The robots of yesteryear clearly were not.

As Mick Jagger famously sang, "What a drag it is getting old". Though with a net worth of about $360 million and holding court in the pantheon of rock-n-roll gods, Mick Jagger is probably greying about as well as anyone could at age 74. He certainly will have nothing to worry about when the day comes that he can no longer do the rooster strut; Jagger can afford the best elder care money can buy. Most of us probably won't have the financial means to hire a team of 20-something-year-old nurses in short, black latex skirts to take care of us when we become dirty old men. The best most of us can hope for is not to be locked in a closet and left to stew in our own feces.

The use of Artificial Intelligence and robotics is increasing throughout the world, it is being used across multiple sectors in multiple industries. The healthcare industry is starting to see a boom in how AI and robots can be used, and one way is through the care of the elderly. Healthcare and elderly care is a subject that gets talked about a lot. A 2017 CB Insights report has suggested that'nurses and health aides' are at the lowest risk of having their jobs taken by AI, however that doesn't mean AI and robots can't ease the role. The promise of AI helping to care for the elderly is big.

Meet MiRo, a biomimetic robot that's on a mission to make friends. Developed by experts at the University of Sheffield, it's intended to be used in various environments, but particularly as a companion, perhaps for the elderly or maybe for people with disabilities. It's creators, Consequential Robotics, believe that in the future social robots will share our personal space, constantly interacting with us and providing emotional engagement. With that in mind, they might as well look cute too. MiRo is claimed to be the world's first commercial biomimetic robot.

When pet Lila wasn't getting as much playtime as the other two animals in her Plymouth, Mass., home, owner Genie Boutchia felt guilty. Then when a potential new owner came calling with $850 in hand, Ms. Boutchia felt even guiltier. She changed her mind and deemed Lila not for sale. Such feelings of moral responsibility might seem normal, even admirable, in a dog owner. But Lila is not a real dog.