Medical Robot Keeps Kids Calm at the Doctor's Office

Taking your children to the doctor's office is not always an easy feat. As a kid, I remember one instance of flailing like a fish out of water as my kind primary care physician tried to treat an eye problem. Now, researchers are turning to robotic technology to help calm young nerves in medical settings.

Researchers in Calgary, Alberta, have tested a new robot programmed to distract children during flu shots, as initially reported by The New York Times. The study, published in medical journal Vaccine, found the "MEDi" robot reduced pain and distress in children getting the flu vaccine at Alberta Children's Hospital.