Heart Robot Brings Emotions To Robotics

Bristol UK researchers have created a new robot that can display emotions and apparently, bring about emotional reactions from humans. Heart Robot looks rather pale, but people seem to really react to his lifelike features and movements.

This puppet-like robot responds to sound, light and movement and shows this by means of eye movement, a heartbeat and breathing. He's made of a soft plastic and wrapped in Egyptian cotton. The bot's "nervous system" is made up of five computers and motors to move his hands and eyelids and make his heart beat faster or slower depending on his stress level.

But the real point behind this emotive robot is to see how people respond to him. David McGorgan, a project coordinator and the one that brings Heart Robot to life, says, "We are hoping that people will feel an emotion in response to the robot and that this will inspire them to find out more about robotics." I guess robotics doesn't have to be about metallic finishes and futuristic-looking parts.

[via InventorSpot]