Can A Robot Be The Cure For Lonely Seniors? By Derek Baine

There was an interesting article in the May 31 issue of The New Yorker (page 24) about Virginia Kellner, who got her cat, which she named Jennie, for her ninety-second birthday.  The catch—it’s not real.  The Department of the Aging started offering robotic dogs and cats to seniors as part of a New York state loneliness intervention project.  A Meals on Wheels driver delivered the pet to her, and was as curious as Virginia to open the box.  Virginia pulled the cat’s tail, and it let out a tinny meow: one of more than thirty sounds and gestures like eye closing, mouth opening and head turning which the Joy for All cats are designed to make.  What a wonderful idea!