Tech

The adorable robotic seal from 'Master of None' is real and you can buy one

Ben Gilbert

2015-11-23T17:14:32Z

If you binged through Aziz Ansari's new Netflix Show, "Master of None," like we did, you might still be thinking about one particularly adorable side character.

Yes yes, y'all, I'm talking about Paro: the robot seal featured in the eighth episode of the series, titled, "Old People."

But you may not have realized that Paro is real, and regularly used as a therapeutic device for veterans and the elderly in general (especially those suffering from dementia). It's true!

This is Paro. In "Master of None," Paro is owned by Eric Wareheim's grandfather (a vet who passes away early in the episode).

His grandfather was given a Paro for therapeutic purposes.

The episode begins with Wareheim's character's grandfather trying to watch a VHS copy of "Twins" — the Arnold Schwarzenegger / Danny DeVito film — and Ansari suggesting he buy a new Blu-ray player and a copy of the film on disc. The grandfather doesn't trust lasers, but he's totally okay with an ultra-advanced therapeutic robot animal.

It's a really adorable scene:

So, why not use a real pet? Simple: Paro doesn't require walks, or feeding, or visits to the vet. He's made for people who can't take care of animals.

Paro is great at bringing smiles to faces.

And that's because Paro is made up of surprisingly high-tech components!

He's even met President Barack Obama during a presidential visit to Japan!

Paro with Barack Obama — Paro was created by Japan's Intelligent System Research Institute, a section of the country's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. CBS

The Paro website explains what makes Paro so good at what he does:

PARO has five kinds of sensors: tactile, light, audition, temperature, and posture sensors, with which it can perceive people and its environment. With the light sensor, PARO can recognize light and dark. He feels being stroked and beaten by tactile sensor, or being held by the posture sensor. PARO can also recognize the direction of voice and words such as its name, greetings, and praise with its audio sensor.

In "Master of None," Paro and Wareheim bond after the death of Wareheim's character's grandfather.

While watching the movie "Twins" (in honor of his grandfather), Wareheim ends up bonding with Paro just like his grandfather did.

If you want a Paro for yourself, you'll need almost as much money as a TV show budget: he's an expensive little robot seal.

Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.

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