Apple has been conducting research to determine how much of an advantage it is for a robot to not just be functional, but also be expressive. To conduct this research, it looks as though the company’s Machine Learning Research team may have taken some cues from Pixar, as the researchers have created an expressive lamp robot harkens to mind the animation company’s mascot. In a video uploaded to showcase the team’s research, two robots, one deemed “functional” while the other is labeled “expressive”, execute the same tasks asked of them. While the functional model does not move unless required to complete the requested task, the expressive model wiggles when speaking, and even appears to show emotion at times, such as being sad when unable to complete a task.
WATCH: The research and development behind making an expressive droid
As Apple has been rumored to be working on a suite of smart home devices, including a smart display and desktop robot, this research into the utility of expression may bear fruit in the near future. The above video, created by Mashable, highlights the team’s research. The full video uploaded by the Apple team can be found below:
