“Is he alive?” asked Wolan, 94, who perked up in her wheelchair after the robot opened its big black eyes. “He’s so soft; he’s wonderful.”
Consumer activists seek labeling of genetically modified foods
They have become so common that even organic retailer Whole Foods says it can’t avoid stocking some
By Monica Eng, Tribune reporter
Alex Garcia, Chicago Tribune
When a team of activists wearing white hazmat suits showed up at a Chicago grocery store to protest the sale of genetically modified foods, they picked an unlikely target: Whole Foods Market.
Organic foods, by definition, can’t knowingly contain genetically modified organisms, known as GMOs. But genetically modified corn, soy and other crops have become such common ingredients in processed foods that even one of the nation’s top organic food retailers says it hasn’t been able to avoid stocking some products that contain them. (more…)
Dementia Patients Respond to Interaction With Robotic Pet Seal
 Frances Wolan, who seldom speaks, pets a robot harp seal named Pikatti at Westmont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. “Is he alive?” asked Wolan, 94, who perked up after the robot opened its big black eyes. “He’s so soft; he’s wonderful.” (Chuck Berman, Chicago Tribune / May 9, 2011) |
By Joseph Ruzich, Special to the Tribune
Frances Wolan doesn’t talk much these days. But the resident of Westmont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did have a lot to say about her new friend, Pikatti, a therapeutic robot that looks, feels and sounds like a baby harp seal.
The 6-pound robotic seal designed by Paro Robots, of Japan, is being used by about 40 medical agencies and hospitals in the United States as a treatment for patients with dementia, especially those who find it difficult to speak. (more…)
