an ultra -rear robot with synthetic skin that reacts to us

I have been recorded. It is a strange sensation. Disturbing at least. Disturbing. They are the adjectives that come to mind when I think of Amira, the ultra -re -taught robot that has taught in the Mobile World Congress the company Engineered Arts. A Robot with a woman’s appearance, wig and very successful facial expressions. A robot that also reacts to what we say or even if we greet with the hand. Last year it was what impressed us most from the Mobile Telephony Congress and in this edition they have taken another step.

Amira is the renewal of AMECA robot. In addition to incorporating a more advanced AI engine, it now looks more similar to a human woman. They have put hair, synthetic skin and a dress. We already had a robot with a totally articulated body and artificial intelligence, now it has also improved its appearance.

Amira is promoted by OpenAi GPT-4. This allows you to answer what we say quite naturally. In the demonstration it works only in English, but can answer in another 50 languages, since GPT-4 It has that capacity.

I have seen what awaits us with humanoid robots and I have sensations found

The robot was in the stand of the O & operator, of the United Arab Emirates and previously known as Etisalat. In an example of the advances of robotics and how they intend to revolutionize customer service. With robots that are able to analyze their environment, know if there is someone close, what they are doing and react in line.

Located on a fixed circle, Amira does not walk, although it does move the upper part of the trunk, head and arms. The robot does not stop talking and reacting to the public. If you raise a hand, he greets you. If you ask anything, answer naturally. And this is precisely its power. It is not necessary to start questions in a certain way; Answer fluidly.

AND If you get in front and do nothing, suddenly pretend to get angry And his eyes show an expression of weariness. The truth is that the reactions are super achieved, nothing to do with other robots that are much more basic. With Amira, the reactions happen faster and do not disregard so much.

During our visit, Amira asks us if we are having a good time at the Mobile World Congress and if we are tired, clarifying that she is not a robot.

In order to identify what happens, it has Two cameras in the eyes with facial recognition software and two microphone sets located in the neck area.

The movements still have a margin of improvement, but the expressions of the face are well achieved. He smiles, gets angry, looks the other way, counts jokes and is surprised. But The most disturbing is how realistic it seems. Articulated hands, face, wig and even nails.

If we look at his hands close, he gives a lot of grrima. Not only because of the aspect, but because it also reacts as a person. And it is that combination that most surprises. When I approached to take a picture I felt fatal. On the one hand it was perfectly aware that it was an object, but that feeling of approaching “someone” was present.

In that attempt to seem as human as possible, they have even put jewels and a red rebel. Also simple white sports, very well chosen to give an informal aspect. Nor with those managed to eliminate the disturbing sensation produced by the robot.

Discussing with those present reflection is the same. The most repeated word was’Creepy ‘. Last year, however, it was different. Ameca had no skin or wig. Somehow, human appearance was not tried so much, since the gray color and mechanical components were visibly exposed. Instead, Amira is pure skin. Unlike Ameca, Amira does try to camouflage her robot status.

Although it is easily appreciated, if we see it from afar it is not so simple. A little observant and clueless person could be checked briefly. The conquest of the disturbing valley It has been present for decades. At the visual level we cannot say that there has been much progress, because in the end it is a matter of makeup. However, the fact that AI has been implemented in the robot and this can interact and Adapt to the environment in real time gives it another dimension full.

Personally I have always had a perception of robots and very positive artificial intelligence, but even thus it is difficult to get the idea that these realistic humanoid robots driven by artificial intelligence will be so present. They have all the numbers to get it, but they are difficult for us to accept them without more. Technologically they are improving a lot, but that disturbing sensation does not disappear.

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