{
  "$type": "site.standard.document",
  "bskyPostRef": {
    "cid": "bafyreigk36e44rxlfeykwzzpzxcriroieg2vmlgoj4baut7xtp4g72q75m",
    "uri": "at://did:plc:mxzzpugn7bprjjrszwkbez3u/app.bsky.feed.post/3me7dltxm4mw2"
  },
  "coverImage": {
    "$type": "blob",
    "ref": {
      "$link": "bafkreic4vwx7wkqfoq32yt4co6fxmyhe3pg4maloop5a7sui6dnwtrqrq4"
    },
    "mimeType": "image/jpeg",
    "size": 126632
  },
  "path": "/news/2026-02-ai-powered-companionship-harnessing-music.html",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-06T10:29:05.000Z",
  "site": "https://techxplore.com",
  "tags": [
    "Robotics"
  ],
  "textContent": "Loneliness has a critical impact on the mental health of citizens, particularly among the elderly. Robots capable of perceiving and responding to human emotions can serve as heart-warming companions to help lift the spirits. A research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has discovered that the combined power of music and empathetic speech in robots with artificial intelligence (AI) could foster a stronger bond between humans and machines. These findings underscore the importance of a multimodal approach in designing empathetic robots, offering significant implications for their application in health support, elder care, education and beyond.",
  "title": "AI-powered companionship: Harnessing music and empathetic speech in robots to combat loneliness"
}