North American businessman created the concept to help care for the elderly and combat loneliness, anxiety and depression.
It is said that a dog is man’s best friend, but for many people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, the demands of caring for a dog or pet can be a challenge.
But ‘Jennie’, a realistic robotic dog from which enchanted the audience at the technology fair in Las Vegas, is designed to change all that, providing companionship and unconditional love to those who can’t care for a real animal themselves.
It’s the idea of Tom Stevens, a Californian businessman who created the concept of the robot dog after his mother was diagnosed with the disease. em 2011.
“Inspired by my mother, who after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia, had to take her dog for safety reasons. I looked for live pet substitutes. She didn’t like anything I brought home. And it was at that time that I realized there was a huge gap in the market.”
Stevens explained that there are more than 300 million elderly people worldwide who suffer from dementia or mild cognitive impairment and are unable to care for live animals. This led Tombot to create ‘Jennie’ – a robotic companion designed to alleviate behavioral and psychological symptoms such as loneliness, anxiety and depression.
Tombot plans to begin fulfilling orders for ‘Jennie’ in late 2025. The product will be available for direct purchase by consumers for a one-time price of $1,500 or through rental models for institutions such as assisted living.
