Innovations
Current Robotic Pet Technology
Robotic pets are another option for older adults who experience loneliness and isolation. Many feel that robotic pets are more beneficial for seniors than live pets, because robotic pets do not need to be fed, cleaned up after or walked. Many older adults worry that they will not be able to take care of a living pet, so they choose not to adopt a pet at all. Robotic pets have proven to be much more beneficial than not owning a pet. Some robotic pets include seals and cats which react to interaction, and are proven to increase positive feelings of connection and companionship. This technology is still in the early stages of development and is therefore not very advanced or widely available.
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Limitations
These robotic pets have limited capabilities. Robotic pets are not designed to walk or to handle external elements, and the owner's physical health could not benefit from walking them. Robotic pets also cannot respond to the owner’s emotions as living pets can, and also cannot learn from their environment and adapt to suit their owners’ needs. Studies show that the novelty of a robotic pet wears off when compared to a live pet, because robotic pets require engagement and will not independently interact with their owner. While robotic pets are less of a hazard and less difficult to take care of than real pets, they are still less satisfying over a long period of time than living pets.
Breakthroughs Required
Technology like the D.A.I.S.Y. pet doesn’t currently exist because robots cannot yet respond independently to human emotions. A necessary breakthrough would be creating a robot that can accurately pick up human emotions and respond appropriately. Human emotions are very complex, and this robot would have to be able to adapt to its owner’s particular “emotional code”.
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Another barrier to D.A.I.S.Y.'s development is that the current robotic pet technology is very expensive, costing upwards of $2000. One of the benefits of D.A.I.S.Y. is that a robotic pet is less expensive than a live pet, as it doesn’t require “maintenance” such as food, toys, grooming and veterinary expenses. In order to make this pet accessible to elderly people, robotic pet technology would be developed to become less expensive.