Paro is an advanced interactive robot in the form of a soft toy, shaped like a baby seal. Paro is a social robot and responds to people and its environment as if it were alive, moving its head and legs and making sounds. A study by Australian researcher, Professor Wendy Moyle of Griffith University, looked at the benefits of using the social robot for people with dementia. The study involved 415 residents of 28 residential care facilities in South East Queensland. The research focus was on whether the introduction of the robot helped to reduce anxiety and if it decreased the tendency of dementia patients to wander. The findings showed a modest effect on agitation, which is one of the hardest symptoms of dementia to reduce.

Compared to a soft toy, the Paro social robot produced better connection and engagement. While the robot is not suitable for mass interventions and should not be a substitute for human contact, it can be effectively used to reduce anxiety in people with dementia.