By Futurist Thomas Frey
Hospitals are places of healing, but they are also places of fear, loneliness, and overwhelming stress—especially for children. To address this hidden dimension of patient care, a new kind of companion has emerged: Robin, a therapeutic robot programmed to act like a 7-year-old girl.
Developed by Expper Technologies, Robin is not just a machine rolling down hallways—it is a social presence, designed to talk, laugh, and play in ways that disarm anxiety. CEO Karen Khachikyan describes Robin as a tool to supplement the efforts of overworked medical staff, helping create emotional connections at moments when patients need them most. This is more than innovation. It is the beginning of a revolution in how society thinks about care.
Continue reading… “Robots That Act Like Children: The Next Frontier of Emotional Support”