Some people will say that robots can't tell jokes, or that the human soul is the big difference between man and machine. Well, not any more
WHAT separates us from robots?
Some people will say that robots can't tell jokes, or that the human soul is the big difference between man and machine.
Well, not any more.
Erica isn't your average robot - she actively craves human interaction, cracks jokes and even has a "soul", according to her creator.
Trapped in a room and longing to see the outside world, the Japanese android is blurring the lines between real and robot, as seen in a .
Her creators even say that robots can be warm and caring, with Erica currently trying to wrap her circuits around the idea of humour.
Hiroshi Ishiguro, who calls himself Erica’s “father”, told she is “most beautiful, human-like and autonomous android in this world”.
The bot can't move her arms, but she can work out where sound is coming from so she knows who she is talking to.
She also boasts 14 infra-red depth sensors, to track where people are in the room, and face-recognition capability.
She was created as part of- one of the most highly-funded science projects in Japan.
Aside from all the technical wizardry, Mr Ishiguro said he started the project to “understand humans”.
And Erica is certainly human-like, so he's on to something there.
Speaking in a , the robot says she is "like a person" - and she appears to understand the distinctions between people and machines.
Erica adds: "When people talk to me, they address me as a person. I think it is different to the way someone would address their dog or their toaster.”
Later, she goes on to say that she'd love to see more of the world and wants to be able to move her arms and legs.
Dr Dylan Glas, Erica’s “architect”, said: "What we really want to do is have a robot which can think and act and do everything completely on its own.”
Erica has even learnt how to tell jokes... although they're not exactly side-splitters.
“Why did the robot go back to robot school?” she asked. “Because her skills were getting rusty. Ha ha. Perhaps that’s enough jokes for now.”
A version of this article originally appeared on .
As charming as she is, Erica isn't the only bot who blurs the lines between woman and machine.
Previously, we introduced you to Harmony, the sex robot with a Scottish accent who has 'multiple orgasms' and can even throw strops.
And we revealed that one robot, called Samantha, caused shocking scenes after she was showcased at a robo expo.
