Emotion-sensing robots seen as future caregivers

May 13, 2002

By Amy Norton

NEW YORK, Apr 10 (Reuters Health) - Robots may never be able to " feel, "

but machines that sense and respond to human emotion could one day help

care for the elderly and others with serious medical conditions,

research suggests.

In lab experiments, a UK researcher found that with the help of a

wireless modem link, his study participant was able to control simple

behaviors of a small mobile robot with nothing more than " emotional

responsivity. "

In other words, certain physiological changes linked to emotion--such as

heart rate, breathing and blood pressure--were monitored through a

biofeedback unit that then sent the information to the robot via the

wireless modem. And the participant " very quickly " learned to use

emotions to alter the behavior of the robot.

Eachus of the University of Salford, who conducted the research,

said that the project is known as CARER--for computerized autonomous

robot with emotional responsivity.

The work is " guided by the notion that the robot would ultimately act as

a carer for the elderly or those with chronic illnesses who need some

additional monitoring, " he told Reuters Health.

For example, Eachus explained, besides reacting to a human controllers'

emotions, the robot could monitor a person's health status and, if

necessary, alert health services, family or friends through an Internet

link.

He presented his research findings in Blackpool, UK, at a recent meeting

of the British Psychological Society.

According to Eachus, the technology he used--including the biofeedback

system, wireless modem and robot--is " all off-the-shelf. " Eventually, he

said, such robotic caregiving could include a global positioning system,

or GPS, which would allow the robot to monitor a human controller's

movements.

" This could be useful if a person collapses, " he said.

This so-called " blurring " of the interface between human and machine has

been deemed feasible in other research. One recent study, for example,

showed that electrical activity in monkeys' brains could be used to

control a computer cursor--raising the possibility that humans with

severe paralysis could one day control computers or robotic limbs with

their thoughts alone.

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