British android repeats human facial expressions with frightening accuracy (7 photos + 3 videos)

The British firm Engineered Arts is developing humanoid robot named Ameka and recently posted a video in which android with frightening accuracy repeats the facial expressions of one of the researchers in in real time - blinking, smiling and grimacing.





Engineered Arts called the android "the most advanced" humanoid robot in the world and a "platform for interaction between humans and robot."

“The goal is to create the best opportunities for expressing emotions,” says Engineered Arts. -Ameca is able to imitate the smallest subtleties human facial expressions. Yes, it's a real robot - not in this video computer graphics!

In the video, Ameka is standing next to a researcher named Chen, looking at an iPhone running ARKit. it the application allows you to capture motion in real time using the phone's camera, and then applies the captured movement towards the 3D model, so that the user can manage it like a "virtual puppet".

Chen starts with fairly simple movements - looks up, down and from side to side, which Ameka repeats after him in literally a split second later. The researcher then blinks very quickly and tries different grimaces - for example, pursing his lips and clenching his teeth - and the robot succeeds repeat each.










Ameka is silent throughout the video, although previous videos from Engineered Arts show that the robot is able to speak. In one of such videos, talking with a person about the threat of AI, Ameka stated that humans have "nothing to fear" as androids like her exist to to help and serve the people. Engineered Arts claims that android did not respond according to the preliminary script and simply generated answers as a person does.

“There is not a single pre-prepared word in this video - the model is given a basic command to describe Ameka, which gives the robot a description itself is pure AI,” they wrote. - Pauses are temporary delays for processing voice input, generating a response, and converting text back to speech.



In another video, an android grabs a researcher by the arm because he "violated her privacy".

While Ameka can't walk, Engineered Arts says that working on a version that will make android even more like person.

“There are still many hurdles to overcome before Ameca can walk. Walking is a difficult task for a robot, and although we explore this the question is, we have not yet created a full-fledged walking humanoid, ” the company said.



Engineered Arts did not disclose how much it costs to make such robot, since it is still in development, but it can already be rent for an event or exhibition. The firm has also participated in development of an android named Ai-Da, which is due next week speak in the British House of Lords.