Scientists have long understood the psychological benefits of computerized companions. Studies have shown they can helpย combat lonelinessย among the elderly,ย motivate studentsย in isolated communities, and evenย improve symptomsย in dementia patients.
Still, despite all of this research, one big question remains:ย are robotic pets as good as the real thing?
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[W]e need to determine what makes dogs so lovable in the first place. According to Ronald Arkin,ย director of the Mobile Robot Laboratory at Georgia Institute of Technology, it all comes down to basic biology.โฆ
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Arkin calls this area of study โbehavioral simulationย ethological modeling,โ and heโs been doing it for aย longย time.ย He believes all aspects of animal behavior โ โmovement, emotion, even moralityโ โ can be authentically simulated in robotic companions. He says he holds patents on robot โemotionsโ and is currently working on simulating feelings like guilt, shame, embarrassment, and empathy in robots to prove out his theories.ย For Arkin, though, it isnโt enough to build a robotic dog thatโs as good as the real thing. He believes he can build one thatโs better.
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While Arkinโs โperfectโ robotic dog may not be here for a few years, heโs pretty enthusiastic about where the field seems to be headed.
Read full, original post:ย Manโs Best Friend, Forever? We May Love Robot Dogs As Much As the Real Thing
