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Japan tests if sending cuddly robotic seals on a mission to Mars could offer astronauts stress relief
- Japanese robotic seal Paro has been shown to help relieve stress and anxiety in seniors and children with autism
- Astronauts preparing for a Mars mission were accompanied by the seal during a two-week simulation to see if it helped with their stress levels
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Japan could one day launch cuddly robotic seals into space, as it tests whether the AI-driven machines can relieve astronauts’ stress and keep them company on a mission to Mars.
In November, a crew of six underwent a two-week simulation of a Mars mission at the US-based Mars Desert Research Station, operated by the Mars Society in Utah.
The would-be astronauts carried out first-aid drills, grew their own food and simulated rock and soil recovery from Mars. But they also tested Paro – a therapeutic robot with artificial intelligence in the form of a baby harp seal.
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“We studied how Paro mitigated feelings of stress and isolation and the data will be useful in supporting research on future analogue missions,” a report on the simulation said.
“Half of the crew enjoyed time with Paro during the first week, while the others had access to him during week two,” it said.
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