The S.H. Ho Centre for Gerontology and Geriatrics of CUHK and Shatin Hospital jointly presented a lecture titled ‘Seal Robot, Paro, as Neurological Therapeutic Device’ on 28 January. Dr. Takanori Shibata (2nd left, front row), a senior research scientist at Human-Life Technology Research Institute and Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) was the speaker. Dr. Shibata has designed a therapeutic seal robot named Paro which is expected to have psychological and physiological effects on elderly people, inpatients and dementia patients. He introduced the application of Paro in geriatric facilities and how it worked as a complementary therapy for patients with dementia.