LONDON: Emoshape, a UK-based company, has claimed to invent a robot that can feel human emotions.
The invention is a breakthrough in microchip technology, through which the artificially intelligent robot can recognise, emulate and empathise with the eight key emotions in humans.
Emoshape say they have achieved a major technological breakthrough with their EPU (emotional processing unit). This is the cornerstone of their new Emospark product, a small £195 ($315) cube that can recognise and respond to your emotions – and it even has emotions of its own.
Using the microchip and a camera, either through your phone or a separate external camera, the cube monitors your facial expressions and works out what you like and don’t like.
For example, when playing particular music it will see if you enjoy it or not. This will help it learn what you might enjoy in future.
By syncing up to your phone the cube can then play songs, videos and more back to you if you make a request of it. But being mean or nice to the cube will also elicit a response from it. It is apparently able to emulate the eight so-called primary emotions. These are anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise, anticipation, trust and joy.
In a video the robot is seen responding to particular words and phrases, including insults and compliments. ‘I hate you,’ the robot is told at one point. ‘I’m just trying to help you,’ it responds.
The company claims this is the first time that machines have been empowered with the ability to respond to human emotions.
