Japanese scientists worked with robot manufacturer Kokoro to develop a female android that can mimic a person's facial expression. Geminoid TMF, which uses a motion-capture system and has a rubber face, can imitate a smile, a toothy grin, and a grim look with furrowed eyebrows. Osaka University professor Hiroshi Ishiguro believes the robot, which is modeled after a young Japanese woman, could be used in hospitals and other real-life situations.
Geminoid TMF has 12 actuators that are powered by air pressure, and the android's motion can be synched to imitate those expressed by a human being.
Ishiguro, who has developed several human-looking robots, says people tend to realize an android is not human within five to 10 seconds. However, he believes scientists will one day develop robots that are able to fool people into believing they are human.
From Daily Mail (UK)
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