A furry social robot can reduce pain and increase happiness

Could furry social robots help bolster moods and reduce pain when human to human contact isn’t an option, for example, during a pandemic? According to a new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers published in Scientific Reports, a one-time, hour-long session with a plush, seal-like social robot reduced pain and oxytocin levels,… Read More: A furry social robot can reduce pain and increase happiness »

Blacks are hospitalized for COVID-19 at four times the rate of whites, Medicare claims data shows

Medicare claims data shows blacks were hospitalized with COVID-19 at a rate nearly four times higher than whites. Blacks had the highest hospitalization rate, with 465 per 100,000. Hispanics had 258 hospitalizations per 100,000. Asians had 187 per 100,000 and whites had 123 per 100,000. The disparities go beyond race and ethnicity and suggest the… Read More: Blacks are hospitalized for COVID-19 at four times the rate… »