Few in the United States have have had the chance to play with the theraputic robot seal “Paro”, another entry in the ever-growing robot pet field.

Paro wiggles around and has cameras and sensors, so it knows when you’re holding it and reacts to you with sounds and even more wiggling. Paro’s fur is also anti-microbial, so it’s safe for hospitals. It may look a little creepy, but once you hold one, you’ll fall in love. I got the chance to play with Paro over a year ago at Nextfest and was instantly hooked. Its soft fur, cooing noises, and wiggles were surprisingly soothing. Now the robot baby seals are coming to the US. With a $5000 price tag, I don’t think kids will be getting them for Christmas. Still, it’s nice to know that recovering patients will have something to cuddle instead of their staggering medical bills.

Jeez, it’s getting a little too cute in here. Here’s a picture of Katherine Harris to scare you back to your senses.