A robot has been programmed to act "like a 7-year-old girl" to comfort children in hospitals and nursing home residents, while also helping to combat staffing shortages.
"Robin" has a sleek white frame designed for hugging and a large screen displaying cartoonlike features.
The robot is around 30 per cent autonomous, while a team of remote operators control the rest under the watchful eyes of clinical staff.
Each interaction allows the team to collect more data and get closer to being able to function independently.
Robin has been designed by Expper Technologies, whose CEO Karén Khachikyan said: "We try to innovate and create this robot that is able to work side by side with these people and staff that can together they can support patients."
