Disney Research is at it again, this time trying very hard to work itself into our nightmares. While known for their breakthroughs in robotics (like their Stuntronics robot unveiled last year), their latest creation is meant for more one-on-one interaction., focusing on one of the most important indicators of interest ... gaze.
When you talk with someone, eye contact is crucial. It tells the other person a number of things, mainly how interested you are in what they are saying. Engineers at Disney Research, along with folks from Walt Disney Imagineering and others, have tried to solve a problem as old as the field of animatronics itself - how to get these robots to have realistic movement. One way, they discovered, is to dial in how the robots connect with the viewer.
Working on how the robots fixes its gaze on the subject, how subtle the movements of its head while listening, how it breathes (ew!), are all small micro movements that lend a more realistic interactive experience. This new robot is so life-like, it probably makes folks like Garner Holt stand up and applaud. Check the video out for yourself, and if you want to read the research paper, you can find that here. Only ... try not to think about it when you go to bed.
Photo courtesy of Disney Research
