Robots to have role in elder care

Paro the furry seal cries softly while an elderly woman pets it. Pepper, a humanoid, waves while leading a group of senior citizens in exercises. The upright Tree guides a disabled man taking shaky steps, saying in a gentle feminine voice, "right, left, well done!"

Robots have the run of Tokyo's Shin-tomi nursing home, which uses 20 different models to care for its residents. The Japanese government hopes it will be a model for harnessing the country's robotics expertise to help cope with a swelling elderly population and dwindling workforce.

Allowing robots to help care for the elderly - a job typically seen as requiring a human touch - may be a jarring idea in the West. But many Japanese see them positively, largely because they are depicted in popular media as friendly and helpful.

"These robots are wonderful," said 84-year-old Kazuko Yamada after the exercise session with SoftBank Robotics Corp's Pepper, which can carry on scripted dialogues. "More people live alone these days, and a robot can be a conversation partner for them. It will make life more fun."

Government officials stress that robots will not replace human caregivers.

"They can assist with power, mobility and monitoring. They can't replace humans, but they can save time and labor," said the officials. "If workers have more time, they can do other tasks."