Brighton University Robot seal helps dementia patients

A robot designed to look like a cuddly seal pup is proving very helpful to dementia patients.

It follows a pioneering research project at the University of Brighton, which has found that the seal, called Paro, helps vulnerable elderly patients to cope with anxiety and memory loss.

The robot has artificial intelligence and can learn to respond to certain words.

It can sense touch, light, sound and temperature, and move its head, flippers and tail.

Each one costs £5,000 - currently there are just a handful in use at care homes in the UK.