‘World’s most expressive’ android cracks jokes and smiles at crowd
Designed to look and move as much like a human as possible, an android called Ameca has caused a stir at Dubai’s Museum of the Future by smiling, blinking and asking visitors funny questions
READING LEVEL: GREEN
An android* created to be “the world’s most expressive* robot” cheerfully smiles and introduces herself when meeting humans.
Named Ameca, the robot is one of the most lifelike droids to date, and interacted easily with people at Dubai’s Museum of the Future.
The hyper-realistic* robot smiled, blinked and moved its shoulders and could be heard saying, “My name is Ameca”, before spelling out “her” name.
“Have I won the spelling bee?” she joked.
One of the visitors asked her if she was happy to be there.
“I’m not happy,” she said. “I do not experience emotions – but I can look happy.”
And one point, she exclaimed, “Oh wait! What if you are the illusion and I am real?”
Ameca, designed by UK-based Engineered* Arts “is the world’s most advanced human-shaped robot representing the forefront* of human-robotics technology.”
The android’s description reads: “Designed specifically as a platform for development into future robotics technologies, Ameca is the perfect humanoid* robot platform for human-robot interaction.”
Designed to test artificial intelligence* (AI) and machine learning, the robot has a range of facial expressions including winking and scratching its nose.
“That was our aim, to make the most expressive robot possible,” said Engineered Arts director of operations Morgan Roe.
“So what we do is first look at what a human can do and use that animation* and then work backward and say, ‘How can we make that mechanically?’
“It’s not just making it look like a human, it’s making it move like a human.
“So we look at both the aesthetic* and the dynamic*, design the mechanics around it and inside Ameca there are 17 motors.”
Mr Roe explained that while there is an AI operating system, there is also a human who controls her speech and facial expressions remotely.
The incredibly human-like robot was presented at the museum just weeks after Tesla CEO Elon Musk showcased* the prototype* of a humanoid robot.
Optimus, named after the leader of the Autobots in the Transformers films, walked on stage and waved at the crowd.
Humanity’s relationship with machines has developed in recent years, but androids won’t be joining the average family any time soon. Ameca’s designers said it would likely be at least two decades before we would see robots in homes, but android assistants may well start turning up in places like airports and hotels before too long.
GLOSSARY
- android: robot that looks like a human being
- expressive: when voice, behaviour and appearance convey meaning
- hyper-realistic: extremely realistic in appearance
- engineered: designed and built using scientific principles
- forefront: most important or leading position
- humanoid: non-human machine or creature with human appearance and qualities
- artificial intelligence: computer systems that mimic human behaviour
- animation: the act, art and science of movement
- aesthetic: appearance, particularly relating to beauty
- dynamic: physical force, presence or energy
- showcased: displaying best qualities or parts of something
- prototype: first example of a machine or industrial product, from which others are developed
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QUICK QUIZ
- What is the android’s name?
- Where was the robot on display and at what institution?
- How many motors are inside the robot?
- Which high profile businessman showcased a humanoid robot prototype only weeks ago?
- The prototype was named after which character in which film franchise?
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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Robot friend
With these new robots looking and acting so human, could they be used in places and industries where there are shortages of workers or helpers?
If you were given one of these humanoid robots, and you could donate it somewhere with a need, who would you give it to?
It might be a group of people who are lonely, isolated, need more human help etc.
Write the details of how you would use your robot below.
Robot name:
Gender:
Skills:
Job:
Where would they live?
What would be their job?
How would this help this group or industry?
Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Digital Technologies; Personal and Social; Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
If in 20 years you could afford a robot of your own, what job would you have it do to make your life easier? Do you think this will be the way of the future?
Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Digital Technologies; Personal and Social; Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Stretch your sentence
Find a “who” in the cartoon – a person or an animal. Write it down.
Add three adjectives to describe them better.
Now add a verb to your list. What are they doing?
Add an adverb about how they are doing the action.
Using all the words listed, create one descriptive sentence.