Life-like Japanese Robot Mimics Facial Expressions

In this video the newest version of Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro's Geminoid robot, Actoid-F, is set up to observe and mimic human facial expressions. The results are not only astonishing, but also not the least bit creepy.

While there are moments in the video when the robots displays the tell-tale jerky movements we've all come to associate with animatronics, particularly when it nods it's head towards then end. And the intermittent noise of the compressor needed to supply air to power the actuators beneath the android's skin kicking on also detracts rather harshly from the illusion. I was genuinely surprised by the life-like appearance of the robots face and most of all, it's skin.

Like it's predecessors Active-F is a teleoperated android, meaning it is remotely controlled by a human user, and will first be put into public use in Japanese hospitals where the machine will be used to observe patients. What could possibly be creepy about that?


-CAINE-

Source: Gizmodo Also check out the following article on IEEE Spectrum for a more detailed and technical article on Ishiguro's newest creation