PARO the Social Robot visits Blue Haven Home

Blue Haven Home is excited to introduce PARO, who will be staying with us for a month’s trial. PARO is a social robot designed by Takanori Shibata, a Senior Research Scientist at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan.

PARO is designed to bring the benefits of animal therapy into environments where live animals present treatment or logistical issues, like hospitals or long term care facilities.

Shibata modelled the interactive robot after the baby harp seals he encountered on a trip to Canada. He chose the seal because people are less likely to have negative memories of the animal, like they might with cats or dogs.

Primary findings from a Griffith University published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association on Thursday shows there can be “significant” benefits from using Paro with patients who have dementia or anxiety.