Meet Jennie: The Robot Puppy Bringing Compassion to Tech

At CES 2025, I was blown away by the coolest gadgets, like wearables and AI advancements. But nothing compared to Jennie, the robot puppy from Tombot. Her adorable wagging tail and furry face caught my attention. As a nurse, I've seen pets change lives, especially for folks with dementia and other challenges. Jennie aims to do the same, without the hassle of pet care. Tombot's CEO, Tom Stevens, got the idea from his mom. She loved her dog, but dementia made it hard to keep him. Her well-being dropped after he left, showing a need for accessible emotional support animals. So, Jennie was born. Creating Jennie took lots of research. Tom's team talked to experts, people with dementia, and even teamed up with Jim Henson's Creature Shop. They wanted Jennie to act like a real dog, minus the risks. Jennie has touch sensors and responds to voice commands. She mimics a 12-week-old Labrador's sounds. Her battery lasts all day, and you can control her with a smartphone app. She's perfect for nursing homes, hospitals, and people not ready for real pets. But Jennie's not flawless. She can't match a real pet's emotional depth. Plus, her tech reliance might not work for everyone. At CES, her Wi-Fi issues showed she's still a work in progress. Despite that, Jennie's a big deal for emotional support. She's a lifelike companion who might change elder care and comfort those who can't have pets. I came to CES for tech, but Jennie showed me the power of compassion.

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