This robot detects and replicates human facial expressions

Emo's face features 26 actuators enabling it to reproduce most human facial expressions. — Courtesy of John Abbott/Columbia Engineering

Engineers at Columbia University, New York, have developed Emo, a silicone-coated robotic face equipped with artificial intelligence enabling it to adapt its facial expression to those of the person it’s interacting with. In the future, it could be grafted onto full-scale humanoid robots to help them interact with humans in the most effective way.

Thanks to the rise of AI, robots have made huge strides in vocal communication in recent months. Now, work is focusing on facial expressions, with the aim of making these robots more genuinely sociable one day.