Japanese professor Hiroshi Ishiguro yesterday unveiled a female android that can laugh and smile as it mimics a person's expressions.
Using a motion-capture system, the robot, called Geminoid TMF, can move its rubber face to imitate a smile, a toothy grin, and a grim look with furrowed brows.
Prof Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University, developed the android with a team of researchers together with Japan's robot maker Kokoro.
A model pokes the face of Geminoid-F, which was designed and built by Osaka University professor Hiroshi Ishiguro
Geminoid TMF was modelled on a young Japanese woman, who was present at the unveiling today.
'I felt like I had a twin sister,' the woman said afterwards.
The developers said they expected the robot to be eventually used in real-life situations, such as in hospitals.
'We've already got some data showing that the robot gave patients psychological security by nodding and smiling at them, when patients were checked on by doctors,' Satoko Inoue, spokeman for Kokoro, told Dawn.com.
Using a motion-capture system, the robot, called Geminoid TMF, can move its rubber face to imitate a smile, a toothy grin, and a grim look with furrowed brows
Prof Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University, developed the android with a team of researchers together with Japan's robot maker Kokoro
'A new technology always creates some fears and negative opinions,' but the researchers wanted to make robots that could express something similar to human emotions, said Prof Ishiguro.
Geminoid TMF is equipped with 12 actuators, powered by air pressure, and her motion can be synched to imitate that of a real human being.
Prof Ishiguro has designed several robots made to look like humans in the past - even building one in his own image.
The professor has said that one day robots could fool us into believing they are human.
'An android could get away with it for a short time, 5-10 seconds. However, if we carefully select the situation, we could extend that, to perhaps 10 minutes,' he said.
I wonder if she can moan like the missus?
Using a motion-capture system, the robot, called Geminoid TMF, can move its rubber face to imitate a smile, a toothy grin, and a grim look with furrowed brows.
Prof Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University, developed the android with a team of researchers together with Japan's robot maker Kokoro.
A model pokes the face of Geminoid-F, which was designed and built by Osaka University professor Hiroshi Ishiguro
Geminoid TMF was modelled on a young Japanese woman, who was present at the unveiling today.
'I felt like I had a twin sister,' the woman said afterwards.
The developers said they expected the robot to be eventually used in real-life situations, such as in hospitals.
'We've already got some data showing that the robot gave patients psychological security by nodding and smiling at them, when patients were checked on by doctors,' Satoko Inoue, spokeman for Kokoro, told Dawn.com.
Using a motion-capture system, the robot, called Geminoid TMF, can move its rubber face to imitate a smile, a toothy grin, and a grim look with furrowed brows
Prof Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University, developed the android with a team of researchers together with Japan's robot maker Kokoro
'A new technology always creates some fears and negative opinions,' but the researchers wanted to make robots that could express something similar to human emotions, said Prof Ishiguro.
Geminoid TMF is equipped with 12 actuators, powered by air pressure, and her motion can be synched to imitate that of a real human being.
The professor has said that one day robots could fool us into believing they are human.
'An android could get away with it for a short time, 5-10 seconds. However, if we carefully select the situation, we could extend that, to perhaps 10 minutes,' he said.
I wonder if she can moan like the missus?
