奇速英语

Imagine a cat that does not need someone to clean up but keeps old people company and helps them remember to take their medicine. That is the shared dream of the toy maker Hasbro and scientists at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

The cat has already been for sale for two years. It is for old people and acts as a “companion” for them. It makes the same noises as a real cat and even appears to seek attention from its owners. That idea is from Jeanne Elliott. Her 93-year-old mother Mary Derr lives with her in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The robot cat stays with Derr and keeps her calm while Elliot is at work. Derr treats it like a real cat, even though she knows it is electronic.

Elliot told the Associated Press her mother often forgets things. She added that a cat helps her mother to remember to take her medicine and be careful when she walks, which would be great.

In the end, they hope to create an exchange between the human and the cat in which the human feels the cat needs them. By doing so, the researchers hope they can even help prevent feelings of loneliness and sadness among old people.