Japanese Scientist Builds Robots That Look Eerily Human

Japanese Scientist Builds Robots That Look Eerily Human

1. What are androids?

Androids are robots with human apperance 

2. Name the three robots Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro has created for the 'Android: What is Human' exhibition? What are their respective roles?

The team of robots being exhibited include two beautiful females - the adult Otonaroid (Otano means adult in Japanese) and the juvenile Kodomoroid (Kodomo means child in Japanese) as well as a tiny cuddly infant-like robot called Telenoid. All three have a specific purpose. The teleoperated Otonaroid will act as the museum's robot science communicator for the duration of the exhibition. Her duties include having one-on-one conversations with visitors, which Ishighuro believes will help people become more comfortable around androids. Kodomoroid who is being touted as the world's first robo newscaster can skill fully recite the latest news gathered from around the world via an internet feed. The young girl can also speak several languages in a variety of tones ranging from a girly squeal to a deep male voice. As for Telenoid? built to behave like a minimalist human, he resembles a cuddly baby that visitors can pick up for a quick hug and even, have a short conversation with.

3. Why are androids more difficult to build then normal robots?

As you can imagine, building these robots is not for the faint of heart. Android researchers begin by making a complete plaster cast of a human model, right down to the teeth. They then spend hundreds of hours molding and painting the features so that the robot closely resembles the human it is being modeled after. That, is the easy part! Then starts the arduous process of installing the complex machinery and countless hours of programming so that the androids not only replicate human gestures and facial expressions, but also, think like them. It is no wonder that most scientists gravitate towards building 'easier' industrial robots.

Critical Thinking Challenge:

Some people believe android robots are cool. Others think they are a little creepy. What side are you on? Why? 

I am a fence sitter because it is cool that they have made these robots that can do stuff but it is also creepy because their faces are kinda off putting.