Heart Robot loves to be hugged, express emotions
By Darren Murph 
posted July 30th 2008 2:03PM
posted July 30th 2008 2:03PM
Here's your afternoon dose of cuteness, ready or not. David McGoran's Heart Robot has made its way into London's Science Museum, and for good reason. This intelligent robot not only possesses a face with moving eyes and an external heart that blinks depending on what's happening, but it actually encourages people to hug and cuddle it like a real human. Seen as being "among the first robots to signify a new era of emotional machines used for medical treatment and enjoyment," this creature could one day become a mainstay in nursing homes where the elderly could interact with it and hopefully benefit in some metaphysical manner. Check out the read link for a video oozing with adorableness.[Via TimesOnline]
That thing scares me
Well, when you're designing a robot for the express purpose of experimenting with simulating human emotions, how close to human do you really want it to look like? It behaves like a newborn, but doesn't look like a newborn. It's totally dependent like a newborn, but isn't a newborn. And yet everyone that has interacted with it treats it like a newborn. It's ugly simply to remind people that it is a tool.
Has anyone in this commentary stopped to consider that we are reacting to this creature, even though we have not come directly in contact with it? You gotta realize that sombody on that team is monitoring the web, reading posts like this, and taking notes for v2.
Looks like a very pale version of Salad Fingers! Yikes
Where does this fall in the uncanny valley?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_Valley