Robot baby comforts nursing home residents

Japanese scientists have invented yet another type of robot aimed at making life a little it easier for senior citizens, this time in the form of a robot baby.

These therapeutic robot babies, called Babyloids, are being tested in nursing homes as a means of helping the despair and depression that can plague residents. In preliminary studies, Babyloids helped improve stress and depression in nursing home residents who interacted with the robots in eight-minute intervals, for a total of 90 minutes per day.

If Babyloids reach the consumer market, its manufacturers say it will sell for about $1,250 apiece.