Japan’s Omron company has developed a robot, FORPHEUS, that can read body language and even play table tennis.
The Phys.org website cited Omron’s Researcher Keith Kirsten who said that this robot will work to understand your mood, and to predict the next move you will make it during the game.
He also explained: “We don’t sell robots that can play table tennis, but we are trying to use FORPHEUS to show how technology can take the place of humans.”
The new robot was among many other electronic devices that were unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) last week in Las Vegas. The show highlighted the concept that robots can become like humans by acquiring "emotional intelligence" and the ability to "empathize."
For its part, Japanese automaker Honda unveiled a new electronic system dubbed "Empower, Experience, and Empathy" to operate robots including the new 3A18.
The robot can "show compassion for humans through many facial expressions," Honda said in a statement.
"This new technology is still in its initial stages, but it is promising for many areas," said Patrick Moorhead, a technology expert at Moore Insight and Strategy.
There is a lot of interest in Japan in this type of technology because of the insufficient number of people who can take care of the elderly, he stated.
"If you do not have friends, the best alternative is to have a friendly robot, especially since introverted individuals can feel more comfortable talking to it,” he added.
