Paro (robot)

It was first exhibited to the public in late 2001, costing US$15 million to develop, and became a "Best of COMDEX" finalist in 2003,[1] and handmade versions have been sold commercially by Shibata's company Intelligent System Co. since 2004.

[6] According to a study based on a 2014 census in Brazil, 195 of 250 older people living in retirement homes chose the Paro robot for nurses.

[7] A 2016 study of 130 older citizens living in Slovakian retirement homes indicated that 70 of them chose companion bots as well, according to research done by a group of mechatronic experts.

Experiments at a Japanese nursing home show that dementia patients who interacted with Paro calmed down in the majority of cases without the usage of drugs.

Paro is outfitted with dual 32-bit processors, three microphones, twelve tactile sensors covering its fur, touch-sensitive whiskers, and a delicate system of motors and actuators that silently move its limbs and body.

Shibata designed it to actively seek out eye contact, respond to touch, cuddle with people, remember faces, and learn actions that generate a favorable reaction.