First Robot able to Show Emotion & develop bonds (Humans)

by dhw, Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 17:00 (5027 days ago) @ xeno6696

Matt has given us a link to an article in yesterday's Guardian, reporting the unveiling of the emotional robot Nao. (I'd drafted a post about this before I saw the link, which actually goes into more detail than the newspaper article.)-If robots can learn from the environment, can form relationships, and can be individualized in their responses, obviously more advanced programmes will enable them to expand their skills. (Nao has the emotional level of a one-year-old child.) I'd be very interested to know, Matt, what light you think this sheds on the nature of consciousness and identity, and also if theoretically you envisage any limits to the range of mental activity robots might eventually cover. If so, why, and what are they? Sorry to put you in the hot seat, but you are our "resident" expert on the subject!