Could a robot dog help people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia? American entrepreneur Tom Stevens thinks so. He recently presented a test version of a yellow Labrador puppy to residents of a nursing home in the American state of California. To develop the device, Stevens’ company Tombot worked with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, a company established by the famous creator of the Muppets. “It didn’t just have to look real and feel realistic but it had to behave realistically as well,” Stevens said about the robot puppy. Stevens believes the Tombot dog, which moves its head from side to side and wags its tail, can help people with dementia. It also is easier to care for than a real dog, he said. The robot has 16 motors to control its movements and has sensors that cause it to respond to voice commands and detect how people are touching it.