Children at Avoch School nursery in Ross-shire got the chance to test-drive a team of teddies recently - all in the name of science.

The cuddly toys have been produced as research material for a robotic bear being developed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Named the Huggable, the bear will be constructed to incorporate a mass of electronic sensors.

The bear's 'sensate' skin will enable it to interact with its owners, respond to cuddles and recognise him or her when they approach. It is hoped the teddy, as well as being a good companion for the young or elderly, may also be able to raise the alarm if its owner falls or is in distress. With additional capacity built in, the Huggable may be able to see and hear through its eyes and ears and transmit information back to medical staff if used in a children's hospital or nursing home setting.

In order to refine the prototype, MIT Media Lab researcher Dan Steihl recently brought examples of the teddy over to the Highlands from Boston to get feedback on the Huggable's appeal.

Avoch nursery children were delighted with the prospect of a techno-teddy, and were keen to know if they would be able to read him a story or tell him their biggest secrets.

Dan also went on to visit Shoremills Nursing Home in Cromarty where he asked residents to give him some more feedback on the suitability of the 'ted' from an older person's perspective. He was delighted to get a positive response, with the home's owners and staff also recognising its potential benefits.

The Huggable is one of a number of research projects that MIT students and professors are carrying out in the Highlands and Islands, in collaboration with UHI and supported by HIE.

Laura Dingwall, development manager with HIE's knowledge economy team said: "Whilst the Huggable is something that could be deployed to nursery children, it has also been tested in the Highlands and Islands on elderly care patients to determine whether it can act as a measurable health tool and to understand how it affects people's behaviour.

"During the trial the teddy bear was viewed as emotionally pleasing both in terms of how it feels to touch and how it responds to people and this is something we are working with MIT to test over a longer period."
 
Dan took some video footage of both groups handling the teddy to aid the design development back at the MIT Media Lab in Boston. It's hoped he will return to Ross-shire with a working model to show to the groups before it goes into production.