At CES, not even the toys are all fun and games. Take Paro, the animatronic baby seal from Japan. It's cute as hell, sure, but Paro also serves a much nobler purpose.

Referred to as a "healing pet," Paro is created to serve as animal therapy for patients, without having to go through the sort of troubles that real life animals pose. According to the representative we spoke with, Paro has been around for a number of years. It shows.

The little seal is surprisingly lifelike a receptive. He responds to touch and sound and can actually learn behavior over time. Paro has recently hit US shores.

Check out a video of Paro in action, after the jump.