Affetto, robot baby, is more creepy than cuddly (VIDEO)
The robot baby reaches out for a hug.
Researchers at the Asada Lab at Japan’s Osaka University are attempting to build the world’s most realistic robot baby, and they have released video of their progress.
The robot, named Affetto, has a head, a face covered with soft urethane elastomer gel, arms and an upper body with 20 pneumatic actuators that move its arms, neck, and spine, PlasticPals reported. The body weighs about 3 pounds.
The goal is to design a robot that will be lifelike enough to be used in studies of the caregiver-child attachment relationship, according to PlasticPals.
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"Interacting with the environment and people nearby is an important factor in development,” the Asada Lab explains on its website, according to the Verge. “In order to create the same conditions as with a real child, we’re developing a child robot that’s the same size, with a soft body, rich facial expressions, and small hands."
The project is funded through 2016, giving the researchers some time to figure out how to create the robot’s next parts, PlasticPals reported.
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