OMOY - Robot that seems to convey emotion while reading

  

Scientists from the Faculty of Engineering, Information and Systems at the University of

Tsukuba devised a text message mediation robot that can help users control their anger

when receiving upsetting news. This device may help improve social interactions as we

move towards a world with increasingly digital communications.

While a quick text message apology is a fast and easy way for friends to let us know

they are going to be late for a planned meet up, it is often missing the human element

that would accompany an explanation face-to-face, or even over the phone. It is likely to

be more upsetting when we are not able to perceive the emotional weight behind our

friends' regret at making us wait.

OMOY, which was equipped with a movable weight actuated by mechanical

components inside its body. By shifting the internal weight, the robot could express

simulated emotions. The robot was deployed as a mediator for reading text messages.

A text with unwelcome or frustrating news could be followed by an exhortation by

OMOY to not get upset, or even sympathy for the user. The mediator robot was

designed so that it can suppress the user's anger and other negative interpersonal

motivations, such as thoughts of revenge, and instead fostered forgiveness.

The robot's body expression produced by weight shifts did not require any specific

external components, such as arms or legs, which implied that the internal weight

movements could reduce a user's anger or other negative emotions without the use of

rich body gestures or facial expressions.

Exemple of perceived emotions and intentions: For a slow and repetive motion to the

left side we perceived embattled and denying emotions. For a fast and repetitive motion

from center to left in a “V” shape the perceived emotins are: refusal, urgency or joy.

Source: 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/03/220310100010.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3WEsEGT0xM