In a study conducted by Saint Louis University and published in the March issue of the Journal of The American Medical Directors Association, researchers found that a trained therapy dog named Sparky and a Sony AIBO had nearly equal success in decreasing loneliness of nursing home residents. "AIBO is charismatic if you start to interact with him," said the study's author, Dr. William Banks, a professor of geriatric medicine at Saint Louis University. "He's an engaging sort of guy." I just wonder what happens when AIBO's batteries run down? Wired has the story here!
