Robotics Reference
In-Depth Information
every time, merely by interrogating the witnesses when they are hooked
up to brainprint machines? Research so far in this nascent technology
indicates a 90 to 95 percent accuracy rate. When recognition technology
advances to the point where the most significant patterns in a brainprint
can be interpreted accurately, robots will be able to recognize their users'
every wish, and their emotions.
How Robots Express Emotion
The subject of robot emotions is somewhat controversial and has caused
strong reactions from philosophers, many of whom ask: “Can a robot
express emotions if it does not feel them?” This question is itself based
on a premise with which I disagree. In line with the philosophy of the
Turing Test a robot can surely be said to feel emotions if it gives the
appearance of feeling emotions to such an extent that its expressions of
emotion are indistinguishable from those of humans.
As we become more used to the idea and practice of interacting with
robots, having them in our homes as pets, companions and servants, so
it will be important for these robots to be able to display their emotions
to us, for example by what it says, by the tone of the voice with which it
speaks and by its facial expressions. (Yes, robots can smile and frown.) In
this way we can relate to the robots, understand their actions, feel more
in control when dealing with them and therefore feel more comfortable
about allowing them access to our personal information, preferences, per-
sonality traits and other aspects of our individuality.
The Kismet Model of Emotion
Simulated emotions in robots can be internal simulations (i.e., the ro-
bot “feels” these emotions but conceals them from the outside world,
for whatever reason), or external simulations (so that humans and other
robots can observe these emotions but the robot itself feels nothing) or,
as in the case of MIT's Kismet project, both internal and external. The
foundation of Kismet's emotional process lies in Cynthia Breazeal's per-
spective of emotions as evolutionary phenomena that help to guide living
creatures through the problems of daily life. Kismet's emotions are based
on simple appraisals of the benefits or detriments of various stimuli.
The robot evokes goal-directed positive emotional responses that bring it
closer to a stimulus that it likes, and thereby into a state of relative well-
