Robotics

Ameca, "the future face of robotics," is as freaky as you'd expect

Ameca, "the future face of robotics," is as freaky as you'd expect
Ameca the robot is able to perform a range of human-like gestures and expressions
Ameca the robot is able to perform a range of human-like gestures and expressions
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Ameca the robot is able to perform a range of human-like gestures and expressions
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Ameca the robot is able to perform a range of human-like gestures and expressions

UK robotics firm Engineered Arts has offered a sneak peek at its new humanoid robot ahead of a full reveal next year, and the preview is as incredible as it is unsettling. Ameca is presented as "the world's most advanced human-shaped robot," and a brief look at this "future face of robotics" suggests it might just live up to this claim.

Engineering Arts is building Ameca to offer a platform for robotics technologies, looking to offer the ideal human-like vehicle for the development of human-like artificial intelligence. Its hardware and software are modular so customers will be able to secure just a head, or an arm, for example, depending on the application.

Part of the package is human-like facial expressions, which the firm hopes will enable Ameca to quickly build rapport with anyone, bridging the gap between humans and the digital world. The robot calls to mind Sophia, the humanoid robot granted citizenship rights to Saudi Arabia in 2017, who proceeded to answer questions from journalists in a press conference and later featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Ameca Gestures

The videos offering a first look at Ameca show the robot appearing to wake up, loosen its joints and look in amazement at the world around it. The expressions and gestures are incredibly natural and, at first glance, seem more lifelike than those of Sophia, though its worth nothing a 40-second preview is much different to a wide-ranging press conference or appearance on late night television.

We should get a better idea of Ameca's true capabilities when Engineered Arts debuts the robot at CES in Las Vegas in January. In the meantime, try not to freak out.

Ameca Humanoid Robot AI Platform

Source: Engineered Arts

8 comments
8 comments
Tristan P
Wow, that is freaky.
Username
Clearly a lot of people are put off by the uncanny valley, but I for one have never found these disturbing in any way.
Daishi
This is on another level from Sophia for sure. I notice another phonenomin similar to uncanny valley that I am going to call "Daishi's law" in that: "With regards to robots people falsely equate close human resemblance with advanced capabilities". With regards to Sophia being an animatronics platform able to play back scripted lines being granted citizenship maybe someone should tell technology companies with buildings full of supercomputers trying to solve for general intelligence that this whole time all they needed to do was sculpt an anatomically correct human head.
WB
creepy!
Lamar Havard
Looks like a 'Midnight Cowboy-era Jon Voight.
Username
@Daishi, a very worthy observation that should be codified as a "law" . I believe humans have applied the same concept to other humans for as long as humans have been around. That is the assumption that better looking people are more trustworthy and that ugly ones are less intelligent.
Michael Arcangeli
Looks like the "Reveries" from Westworld. Future's coming fast.
JeffK
Going to take some getting used to; not sure it was a good idea to watch those videos just before retiring for the night.