Out of necessity, Japan has been pushing on the robotics frontier for years. As a result, the proliferation and embrace of robots goes well beyond the Japanese factory floor to include schools, hospitals, nursing homes, airports, train stations and even temples.
“Robear” is a fixture for Japanese nursing homes, and is described as a “strong robot with a gentle touch”, capable of lifting the elderly to and from the bathroom, or gently placing them in wheelchairs. “Paro” is a miniature robotic seal that engages the elderly in an effort to ward off dementia.
