This Furry Social Robot Can Boost Mood And Alleviate Pain

A one-time, 60-minute interaction with the Japanese social robot, PARO not only improves mood, but also, reduces mild or severe pain, according to new research.

Human to human contact could improve mood and help alleviate pain. The experts at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) sought to test the effect of human-robot emotional touch on experimentally induced pain ratings in healthy young adults.

The Study:

The researchers assessed the effect of touching the robot ‘PARO’ on pain perception, mood, and salivary oxytocin levels. They measure the participants’ perceived pain, state of happiness, and salivary oxytocin.

Key findings:

• A 60-minute interaction with PARO increased happiness and reduced mild to severe pain
• When the study participants touched the furry robot, they experienced greater pain reduction compared to when they were simply present in their rooms
• A decrease in pain ratings and in oxytocin levels alongside an increase in happiness ratings was reported in those who interacted with PARO
• Those with a higher perceived ability to communicate with the robot experienced a greater hypoalgesic effect while touching it
• Oxytocin levels were lower in those who interacted with the social robot compared to those who didn’t meet PARO

Oxytocin, also known as ‘the love hormone’ is elevated among romantic partners or mothers who play with their kids. A decrease in oxytocin levels wasn’t expected in the participants who interacted with the furry robot. However, several studies have indicated that outside of close relationships, oxytocin production is actually an indicator of stress and therefore, in this case, might have indicated that the individuals who interacted with the robot were relaxed.

“These findings offer new strategies for pain management and for improving well-being, which is particularly needed at this time when social distancing is a crucial factor in public health," Science Daily quoted Dr. Levy-Tzedek, the study’s lead investigator.

PARO Robot:

PARO is a therapeutic robot that imitates the voice of a real baby harp seal. The robot is manufactured by the experts at the Intelligent System Research Institute of Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. Not only was it intended to have a calming effect but also to elicit emotional responses in patients suffering from pain. PARO responds to petting by moving its tail and opening and closing its eyes.