Zeno: childlike robot with artifical intelligence doesn't look quite right

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zeno_robot_child.jpg“Zeno”, the brainchild of Hanson Robotics, is a robot complete with vision, decision-making and learning capabilities, as well as the ability to change its facial expressions and move based on what it “sees”.

This Artificial Intelligence also allows for speech recognition, language reasoning, and face recognition.

It features 28 built-in servos throughout its self-balancing body. Expressions and gestures include eye and mouth movements. It can be driven wirelessly by a PC. It’s 17 inches tall, weighs six pounds, and runs on lithium polymer batteries.

I ought to be careful exactly what I say, as Zeno is supposed to be the likeness of inventor David Hanson’s son, but perhaps I can blame the robot’s designer, Tomotaka Takahashi, for how the robot looks.

Maybe it’s just me, but, great though this concept robot is, I get a little worried when robots are made to look a bit like humans. What’s wrong with sticking to Metal Mickey designs?

Zeno’s World (via Pocket Lint)

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Andy Merrett
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