Robotic Dogs Bring Comfort to Young Patients: New Study Shows Positive Effectiveness

According to a recent peer-reviewed study, spending time with therapy dogs can help children lower their stress levels more effectively than relaxation exercises. This is especially important for children in hospitals who may be experiencing elevated levels of anxiety. However, when there aren’t enough therapy dogs available, innovative solutions are needed.

One such solution is robotic dogs that have been designed to alleviate anxiety in young patients, providing comfort and joy. These robots have shown positive results, with patients engaging with them in a way that was not possible before. Physicians at Stanford Children’s Health have observed patients becoming more at ease and distracted from their worries while interacting with the robot dogs, even sparking curiosity in young patients like seven-year-old Josh Summitt who misses his own dogs while in the hospital.

Josh was introduced to three robotic dogs named Max, Otis, and Stride at Stanford Children’s Health as part of a collaboration between Stanford University’s robotic students and the hospital’s Chariot Program. The program focuses on implementing innovations to benefit patients. The robot dogs were designed to provide comfort and joy to young patients who are experiencing anxiety and depression.

The positive reception of the robot dogs has paved the way for further development of these innovative creatures that continue to evolve and thrive. As Stanford Children’s Health completes its pilot phase with the robot dogs, doctors are excited about the potential benefits of this approach to assisting pediatric patients.