A factory in China is developing hyper-realistic humanoid robots that could be used in psychotherapy and counseling.
At the factory in from China In the northeastern coastal city of Dalian, neck-length silicone masks sit alongside silicone arms and feet, while disembodied heads sit on display and humanoid robots in various stages of construction sit nearby.
Drawings of robots adorn a wall.
Humanoid robots are the most complex type of robot to build and these use artificial intelligence learn how to recognize human behavior and imitate it.
“There are many basic models and algorithms that are commonly open source, that everyone uses,” says Li Boyang, chief executive of Ex-Robot.
Employees work on humanoid robots at the office of developer Ex-Robots in Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Photo: Reuters
“However, we focus more on how to enable AI to recognize and express expressions and emotions.”
While a former Robots worker moves her head, smiles and sticks out her tongue, a humanoid robot imitates her movement thanks to tiny motors installed in various spaces in her head.
A humanoid robot sits in the office of developer Ex-Robots in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. Photo: Reuters
“The model we are making is multimodal and capable of emotional expression. It can perceive the surrounding environment and produce appropriate facial feedback,” says Li.
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It takes two weeks to a month to produce a humanoid robot, with prices ranging from 1.5 million yuan (£162,000) to 2 million yuan.
Humanoid robot heads sit on a table in the office of developer Ex-Robots in Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Photo: Reuters
Li believes that humanoid robots will be integrated into healthcare and education.
Humanoid robot faces sit on a table in the office of developer Ex-Robots in Dalian, Liaoning province, China. Photo: Reuters
“Psychological and health counseling are certainly future application scenarios. We are currently carrying out research as ancillary treatment and preliminary screening for emotional and psychological disorders,” she says.
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“Furthermore, I believe that emotional interaction has broader applications in service fields, such as those aimed at children.”
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