In a recent study published in the journal Science Robotics, researchers at Columbia University’s School of Engineering in the USA have introduced Emo, an AI robot that can predict and mimic human facial expressions in real-time. The Innovative Machines Lab has been working on this issue for over five years, and Emo is seen as a breakthrough in human-robot interaction.
Emo has 26 actuators in its head-like robot face, allowing for a wide range of facial expressions. It is covered with soft silicone skin and has a magnetic linkage system for easy adjustments. To train Emo on how to express itself, two AI models were used – one that predicted human facial expressions by analyzing subtle changes in the opposite face and another that generated motor commands for corresponding expressions.
By observing videos of human facial expressions, Emo can predict expressions by analyzing subtle facial changes before a person starts to smile. This ability to accurately predict human facial expressions is seen as a significant step forward in building trust between humans and robots. In the future, interacting with robots may involve them observing and interpreting facial expressions in real-time, similar to how humans interact with each other.
