Heena Sharma Blog

Amid much anticipation, Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar starrer ' 2.0 ' hit the big screens on Thursday. Fan of Thalaiva have a reason to rejoice as they can now watch the magnum opus at a theatre near them. Fans, this time around too, have gone an extra mile to express their love for their icon. It almost seemed like a mini Diwali celebration outside the movie theaters in Chennai, with people busting crackers, dancing to the dhol beats and feeding sweets to each other. "Look at the atmosphere, I mean do I have to say more? That's a great fever, there is a great excitement and entertainment," said a fan. Holding their tickets as a prized possession, fans eagerly waited outside the movie theaters for first-day first show. "His character is a secondary thing. First, he is Thalaiva. And it's mandatory to go for Thalaiva's first day first show be it any movie," said a female fan. Expressing their utmost respect for their Idol, som...

This is Zora . It may not look like much — more cute toy than futuristic marvel — but this robot is at the center of an experiment in France to change care for elderly patients. When Zora arrived at this nursing facility an hour outside Paris, a strange thing began happening: Many patients developed an emotional attachment, treating it like a baby, holding and cooing, giving it kisses on the head. Zora, which can cost up to $18,000, offered companionship in a place where life can be lonely. Families can visit only so much, and staff members are stretched. Patients at the hospital, called Jouarre, have dementia and other conditions that require round-the-clock care. The nurse at Jouarre who oversees Zora controls the robot from a laptop. He often stands out of view so patients don’t know it’s him at the controls. The robot can have a conversation because the nurse types words into a laptop for the robot to speak. Some patients refer to Zora as “she,” other...