Over the past year and a half, many have found that isolation and loneliness are hard to escape. This can be even more amplified for older Americans who, in many cases, are especially vulnerable to infection and illness from their human friends and family, and are also unable to care for pets. So what about a robot pet? Can it help? Does it feel real at all? Head over to The New Yorker for an in-depth look at life with an animatronic pet.