A walking humanoid robot(类人机器人) able to use its whole face and body to express emotion was unveiled this week in Japan. The robot was created by scientists at Tokyo's Waseda University and its makers say it’s the first of its kind.

 

It is able to express a range of different emotions, including happiness, fear, surprise, sadness, anger and disgust by opening and closing its eyes, moving its lips and eyebrows and using its arms and legs. It shows happiness by opening its eyes and mouth wide and raising its arms.

 

The robot is installed with 48 actuators(执行器) which allow its face and body to move in a variety of ways. It shows sorrow by drooping(垂下) its head and covering its eyes.

 

The robot is called Kobian and was two and a half years in the making.

 

For a robot to be useful in human life, the robot needs to communicate with humans to do what humans command it to do. To achieve natural communication between humans and robots, expressing feeling is an important factor.

 

Reportedly it could be several decades before robots such as Kobian can be used to help people in their homes. But the professor said he hopes this type of robot could be used to help elderly people with housework and in nursing homes.

 

The robot is not yet able to interact with humans, apart from a set of pre-programmed(预先设定好的) responses.