Robots turn off senior citizens in aging Japan
 

*Source: Reuters (http://today.reuters.com/news/articl...-GADGETS.xml)*
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TOKYO (Reuters) - Ifbot, the resident robot at a Japanese nursing home, can converse, sing, express emotions and give trivia quizzes to seniors to help with their mental agility. Yet the pale-green gizmo has spent much of the past two years languishing in a corner alone.

"The residents liked ifbot for about a month before they lost interest," said Yasuko Sawada, director of the facility in Kyoto, western Japan, shaking her head as she contemplated the 495,000 yen ($4,300), 45-cm-tall (18-inch-tall) "communication robot".

"Stuffed animals are more popular," she remarked dryly.

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