American multinational toy maker, Hasbro, has a fascinating new product, the Joy for All Companion lifelike robotic pet cat,
The cat is meant as a companion for senior citizens and is the spearhead of a line of toys Hasbro is rolling out for seniors.
Designed to "look, feel and sound like real cats", the product, the company says, is "so much more than soft fur, soothing purrs and pleasant meows."
Hasbro partners with Meals on Wheels America's 'Spark the Movement', which works to reduce seniors' isolation and hunger. Hence, it has positioned the toy cat as a companion for senior citizens who would find it hard to deal with feeding and cleaning real pets.
The various motion sensors in the body of the product seek to replicate lifelike interactions of humans with cats without dealing with the moodiness of a cat.
Petting the toy makes it purr and move and nuzzle into the hands of the one petting it on the cheek, Hasbro says.
Priced at $99.99, the toy isn't first lifelike animal toy in the market. PARO is a therapeutic robotic baby harp seal meant to support patients of dementia and priced at a steep £5000, reports entrepreneur.com.
Scientists, who have been studying the benefits of human-animal interactions, have reported that having a pet has multiple benefits for its owners such as improving social interactions, as a mood enhancer and to relieve stress.
