Just about when people are looking for new excitement, a ‘special guest’ was featured at the ${bigcity_Hoi_An:"Hoi An"} – Japan Festival 2010 held on August 21-23. PARO may be a little different than most guests welcomed in the past as he is a baby harp seal robot, but small as he is, he can do many great wonders.

Branded as the World's Most Therapeutic Robot by the Guinness World Records, PARO is produced by a leading Japanese industrial automation pioneer, AIST. This advanced interactive robot allows the documented benefits of animal therapy, long appreciated by successfully-treated patients all over the world. Its ability to interact with humans via tactile, light, audition, temperature and posture sensors has been found effective not only in reducing patient stress, but also that of their caregivers. Among its many other treatment benefits include stimulated interaction between patients and caregivers, promoting relaxation and motivation and improves the socialization of patients with others. PARO is the 8th generation of a design that has been in use in Japan and throughout Europe since 2003 and has been sold commercially since 2004. Its success earned itself the recognition and certification from Guinness.

Along with two dance groups from Japan, PARO arrived to Hoi An for the festival and became more of a celebrity than the rest of the artists. Visitors of the festival all lined up to have a chance to carry and talk with the baby harp seal robot. Among the previous appearances of PARO include the 2010 International Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas during January of this year. With more and more people across the globe having a better understanding of the need for products like PARO in the therapeutic aspect, looks like PARO will be making more appearances and crossing many more borders.