Robot seal to help mental health patients in Kent

A robotic seal is being piloted in Kent to explore whether experience of mental health outpatient appointments can be improved.

The furry robot called Sammy will be used in meetings at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust to help put patients at ease and engage more with treatment.

Dr Sharna Bennett said although the seal cost £6,000, it would have "huge benefits for patients who are often underserved from research".

"Many of the people find clinical environments overwhelming, which can make it harder for them to take part in reviews and share what matters to them," she said.

"Sammy offers a gentle, person-centred way to help people feel more settled and engaged, so we can focus on their needs."

Sammy weighs roughly the same as a small child and is designed to respond to touch, sound and movement, often emitting seal-like noises whilst opening its eyes, wiggling its tail and moving its flippers.

The trust is piloting Sammy as an additional, non-pharmacological way to make appointments feel more comfortable, accessible and person-centred.

Consultant psychiatrist Jo Rodda said the seal's uses were infinite.

"It can allow patients to talk more freely, so you think about the kind of things we use pet therapy for and I think that's the kind of things that we would be looking at zoomorphic robot therapy for, building confidence and rapport," she said.

Trust consultant psychiatrist Vesna Jordanova said she believed the robotic seal could play a key role in understanding how to provide better treatment for those with autism.

"We know people with autism have severely limited treatment options," said Jordanova.

"The cost of care is high and it's a lifelong disability so it's very important to focus on this area of health research."

Autism is a lifelong neurodivergence and disability, influencing how people experience and interact with the world.

Autistic people are different from each other, but for a diagnosis they must share differences from non-autistic people in how they think, feel and communicate.

"The key feature of people with autism is communicational difficulties and deficits that limit the ability to open up and benefit from a therapeutic intervention," added Jordanova.

"The seal can give them sense of connection and ability to connect to their treatment and psychotherapy, so I believe that it will be a great practical use of assistive technology."

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