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July 12 (UPI) -- Companion robots paired with artificial intelligence could one day help alleviate loneliness among isolated people, according to new research published Wednesday. Scientists at Cornell, Duke University and New Zealand's University of Auckland published their findings in the journal Science Robotics.
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Researchers found the number of Americans with no close friends has quadrupled since 1990.
"Right now, all the evidence points to having a real friend as the best solution," Murali Doraiswamy, a psychiatry and geriatrics professor at Duke University, said in a statement.
"But until society prioritizes social connectedness and eldercare, robots are a solution for the millions of isolated people who have no other solutions."
Scientists also pointed out more and more research is suggesting robots can reduce stress and loneliness and can help older people remain healthy and active, meaning they can remain in their homes.
The research also proposes a new way to measure whether a companion robot is actually helping a person. The hope is a robot may be able to provide the support when an individual is not able to find human companionship.
"AI presents exciting opportunities to give companion robots greater skills to build social connection," Dr. Elizabeth Broadbent, professor of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland, said in a statement.
"But we need to be careful to build in rules to ensure they are moral and trustworthy."
