Key specs
- Form
- Baby harp seal
- Sensors
- Touch, light, sound, temperature, posture
- Learning
- Responds to its name and to how it is handled
- Battery
- About 1.5 hours per charge (retailer figure)
- Learns
- Responds to its name and to how it is treated
- Behaviour
- Learns its name and preferred handling
- Weight
- About 2.5 kg (retailer figure)
Our verdict
PARO is the companion robot with the deepest research base, and it is designed for professional settings. Care providers should budget for staff training and infection control as well as the robot itself.
What we like
- The most studied robot pet in dementia care
- Pooled trial data show a small reduction in agitation
- Meta-analysis found a small reduction in agitation compared with usual care
- A meta-analysis found a small, significant reduction in agitation
- Antibacterial fur, according to retailer listings
What to know
- High price for a single household
- Needs regular recharging during the day
- Expensive for a single household
- Short battery life per session
- Costs many times more than consumer robot pets
How it compares
| Spec | PARO Therapeutic Robot | Casio Moflin | ElliQ | Joy for All Companion Pet Cat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | around $6,100 | $429 | $249.99 setup fee plus $59.99 a month, or $49.99 a month on a | $159.99 / around £127 |
| Form | Baby harp seal | - | Tabletop robot with a moving, light-up head and a separate touchscreen | - |
| Sensors | Touch, light, sound, temperature, posture | - | - | - |
| Learning | Responds to its name and to how it is handled | Recognises frequent voices and develops a personality | - | - |
| Battery | About 1.5 hours per charge (retailer figure) | Up to 5 hours of typical use; about 3.5 hours to charge | - | - |
| Learns | Responds to its name and to how it is treated | - | - | - |
| Behaviour | Learns its name and preferred handling | - | - | - |
| Weight | About 2.5 kg (retailer figure) | About 260 g | - | About 3.9 lb (1.8 kg) |
| Interaction | - | Responds to touch and voice, develops a personality over time | - | - |
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