Hoi An-Japan festival to feature PARO robot

The world’s most therapeutic robot PARO, produced by Japan, is expected to be presented at the Hoi An – Japan Festival 2010 held in the ancient town on August 21-23.
Visitors to the festival will have chances to carry and talk with the baby harp seal robot, which can interact with humans via tactile, light, audition, temperature and posture sensors.
Sold commercially since 2004 and certified the World's Most Therapeutic Robot by Guinness World Records, PARO was designed to have calming effects on and elicit emotional responses in patients at hospitals and nursing homes.
It also aims to help reduce stress and improve relaxation.
PARO will attend the annual festival together with two dance groups from Japan.
The seventh edition of the annual event will include a instruction session on the traditional Japanese folk art of folding papers (origami), and also offer visitors the chance to try on the traditional summer kimono (Yukata).