Invasion of the Robot Babies
Every week I grab New York Magazine and flip to the last page to see their despicably funny Approval Matrix. I like it so much in fact that I decided to shamelessly rip it off -- robot style.
Did you notice there's been a proliferation of robot infants, robot toddlers, and robot children in the past few years? It seems that roboticists enjoy becoming parents to bionic babies.
They build them for a good reason: These bots help researchers not only learn more about robotics but also investigate human cognition, language acquisition, and motor development. Some Japanese researchers even say robot babies could help introduce young people to the wonders of parenthood and boost birth rates. Yes, robot babies help make real babies!
So check out our reality matrix below, where we rated each robot according to its similarity to humans and its technical capabilities. What's the coolest? Cutest? Creepiest? And did we forget any? Let us know.
Click on the image to see a larger -- readable! -- version.
Clockwise from top left: Aldebaran Robotics; Thomas Bregardis/AFP/Getty Images; RobotCub; Kokoro; Erico Guizzo; Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images; University of Tsukuba; Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo; Sankei/Getty Images; Georgia Institute of Technology; Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images; University of Bonn; Erico Guizzo
READ ALSO:
Lessons From a Mechanical Child
Blog Post: A child humanoid robot called iCub is helping Swiss scientists study cognition, learning, and mobility
Humanoid Mimics Person in Real Time
Blog Post: An operator wearing a sensor suit can control this robot's arm and leg movements
Geminoid F, the Smiling Female Android
Blog Post: Geminoid F, a robot copy of a woman in her twenties, is designed with natural facial expressions
Who's Afraid of the Uncanny Valley?
Blog Post: To design the androids of the future, we shouldn't fear the uncanny valley
Automaton
Comments