Human-Like Robots and Androids

by: Andrea SloaneCOMP 4620

Fall 2007

Human-Like Robots and Androids are Designed to Resemble Humans in the Most Life-Like Fashion Possible

Human-like Appearance

Joint Movement

Facial Expressions

Sensors for Reacting

Speaking Ability

Ability to Pick-up, Drop, Kick and Throw Objects

Repliee Q1Expo Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro

Flexible Silicone for Skin

Flutter Eyelids

Move Hands

Appears to Breathe

Sensors and Motors to Turn and React

42 Actuators in Upper Body and Air Compressor

Internal sensors allow this android to react in a natural form. For instance, it has the ability to block an attempted slap.

It makes constant shifting motions that simulate human movement.

EveR-2 MuseThe Entertainer Robot

Skin of Silicone

60 Joints Throughout Face, Neck , Body

Facial Movements , Some Dancing and Singing

EveR-2 Muse has the ability to make facial expressions such as joy, boredom, anger, sorrow and happiness.

Robot World 2006 sang the Korean ballad “I Will Close My Eyes For You”

Actroid DER2 Fembotby Koroko

Natural Expressions

Take Part in Events & Presentations

Choreograph Her Motions and Gestures with Her Voice

Appears to have Character and Personality

People have been known to forget that Actroid DER2 fembot is an Android while interacting with her.

They can see that it is an Android, however they react to it as if it were a human.

Advantages

An article from July, 9 2007 on Wired.com website states that a robot is already being used in British schools to teach Autistic children social skills.

In Japan, one of their main goals is to create robots or humanoids to assist the growing elderly population in everyday tasks.

Robots are being created to perform search and rescue missions, military battle and bomb detection.

NASA is designing robots to act like people in order to better assist Astronauts

Ethical Issues

As with many other advances in our society, creating humanoids that are life-like will also create circumstances that will raise ethical issues.

According to an article posted on October 12th of this year by Charles Q. Choi on MSNBC.COM, he predicts that robots are becoming so human-like in appearance that within 5 years people will actually be marrying robots.

Mr. Choi states that the characteristics that a particular person finds attractive in a mate can be programmed into a robot. A robot can also be programmed to like the human counterpart whereas you can’t force another human to like you.

Summary

The articles that I researched for this assignment range in dates from 2005 – 2007. The Androids in this presentation represent improvements that have been made on previously created Androids.

Being a Computer Science major, it is obvious that I have a love for technology. However, before taking this class, I was not aware of how far robotic technology has already advanced.

Androids are most certainly in our future. Who knows, maybe one day students will be able to command their Androids to complete their assignments for them!