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Robot Pets Almost as Good as Real Ones?

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the cutting-your-hand-on-a-loose-bolt dept.

Gallamine writes "Many people claim that pets are good for their owners. But, what about robot pets? Some scientists at the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue's Veterinary school say yes, robot pets can benefit humans. Petting an AIBO caused the human stress hormone cortisol to decrease in patients, much like a real dog, although the effects weren't as pronounced. Also, AIBOs sent to nursing homes caused the residents to be less depressed and lonely. Similar research is being done by Dr. Dr. Takanori Shibata with his robotic seal named Pero."

11 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. No comparison by Jason1729 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A real dog is devoted to its master and euphoricly happy to see him/her.

    A robot dog is a pile of parts running a program.

    1. Re:No comparison by MikeFM · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It depends how smart your robot dog is. I've had some robotic and digital pets that were very intelligent and because they had built-in emotion systems and learning they could learn love, hate, loyalty, etc. Not as good as a real animal yet but it does have the benefit that when it breaks you can fix it which is something I sadly cannot say of my real pets which I've lost many of over the years.

      --
      At what price learning? At what cost wisdom? The price is a man's peace of mind, and the cost is his life.
    2. Re:No comparison by Bazzalisk · · Score: 5, Insightful
      A robot dog is a pile of parts running a program.

      So is a real dog, just the parts are squishier and the programme is more complex.

      --
      James P. Barrett
    3. Re:No comparison by GuidoW · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, a brain works fundamentally different from a computer. True, a very much evolved computer may show emergent characteristics that might be interpreted as consciousness and emotions, but those would likely bear little resemblances to our idea of emotions.

      Anyway, everything we have right now in this department is just a cheap, superficial copy of the real thing.

      --
      If it's so secret, then how come I've never heard of it?
  2. Maybe not "as good as" but they definitely help. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    After all, look at how much comfort and companionship a child can get from a simple teddy bear. Same concept, your imagination will create a personality for your little friend if necessary.

  3. why wonder, did you not have a teddybear? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    why should this effect not be understandable? when we were kids, we had plush-friends that helped us e.g. falling asleep. now having a moving, mechanic sounding fluffy battery-powered friend, that only seems to express the ongoing of industrialisation / techdom.
    i really don't wonder =)

  4. Robot dog or entertainment center? You pick ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And what happens when you give the patients brand new 60" LCD TVs instead? Is it really pets, or just the novelty of new toys?

  5. Real animal by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I do understand that not all can have a real animal.. but.. for the rest of you, theres alot of loney pets in diffrent shelters around your country, why not save one? I did, and I cant understand how attached I got to the little one, his now a part of the family. Amazing experience as I never had any animals before, and they dont require alot of maintainance either.. easyer then keeping a flower alive, as pets complain when they need food/water.. :-)

  6. Animal Assisted Therapy by sczimme · · Score: 3, Insightful


    But there are some places where they can't live, such as nursing homes. So can a robot pet provoke the same reactions?

    Not to nitpick, but this is not always true. I have an elderly relative in a nursing home, and the home itself has a canine companion. (However, I can see how it would be difficult/impossible for individual residents to have pets.)

    Second, the effects of Animal Assisted Therapy are well known. It makes sense that a replicant (like the Aibo) that offers a subset of relevant canine functionality could offer a subset of the health benefits as well.

    --
    I want to drag this out as long as possible. Bring me my protractor.
  7. Maybe its not only pets... by Saggi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    When I come home I turn on my computer. I browse a bit. Read slashdot. Checkup on a few online strategic games to see how things are going, update my website, code a bit...

    All these actions are to make me feel alive. To puzzle with tiny bits in my life. A dog, cat, fish etc. would be the same.

    When I was a child I had an aquarium. I could look at it. I needed to feed the fish. Sometimes I had to clean it up. It usually took several hours but was quite fun. Other times I bought a new fish and put into the tank.

    We also had a dog. It was always happy to see me. It greeted me when I came from school. I hated when it was my turn to go out with it, especially when the weather was bad, but that's a part of life.

    And now I pet my computer. It do make me feel happy. Time goes by. I have something to do.

    Maybe it's not about the pet... maybe it's about having something (slightly) useful to do when we come home from a long day at work. Something relaxing. Something to take our minds away from work and into idle mode... just maybe.

    --
    -:) Oh no - not again.
    www.rednebula.com
  8. Look on the bright side dude! by Savage-Rabbit · · Score: 3, Insightful

    A robot dog is a pile of parts running a program.

    At least you won't feel guilty about vivisecting your robot dog... and it is alot less messy.

    --
    Only to idiots, are orders laws.
    -- Henning von Tresckow