Advanced robots geared to cure loneliness

With silky black hair and sparkling dark eyes, a beautiful woman in a yellow sweater was one of the star attractions during the 2015 World Robot Conference in Beijing.

But unlike models found at an autoshow, the crowd was not attracted by her beauty. Instead they were drawn by the chance to chat with a life-like Japanese android.

Surrounded by a crowd of people, one man in the audience rapidly fired questions at the machine. "What's your name?" "How old are you?" "What do you like to do?"

Focusing her attention on the man, the robot, Genminoid F, blinked her eyes and answered each question slowly but in a clear, natural voice. "My age is a secret. I like chatting with people," she says.

Created by Osaka University's Ishiguro lab, Genmindoid F was among the most advanced robots at the conference, which is being held in Beijing between Monday and Wednesday.

To make it sound like a real person, the robot's voice was created using recordings from voice actresses. To make it skin realistic, the creators used silica gel, giving it the appearance of a young woman in her early 20s.

"The gel will become saggy after one or two years and has to be replaced as a result," Sun Yuting, a Chinese student working for Ishiguro lab, said.

The robot's operating system is designed to imitate people's motions and facial expressions, and is even able to express its emotions freely when speaking, singing and acting.

When a female visitor proposed a selfie, Genminoid F was quick to cooperate, turning her head to take part in the photo.

College student Zhang Zhen was among those in the crowd excitedly engaging with the robot.

He said everyone has moments when they desperately need to talk to someone, but find no one to turn to. In his opinion, the market prospects of a robot that can provide social support depends on how realistic the robot is.

Another visitor surnamed Ma said he would definitely consider the companionship of a realistic robot.

"There are people like me who have only one child," the 34-year-old said, who was visiting with his 6-year-old child. "Twenty or thirty years in the future, when my child is grown-up, a robot that can communicate with me might be a good choice."

Some 1.5 million robots are in use in factories worldwide, with the total number poised to reach 2.3 million in the next three years, according to Arturo Baroncelli, president of the International Federation of Robotics.

Priced at about 519,000 yuan (about 81, 000 U.S. dollars), the robot, though fantastic, is still regarded by many as "too expensive". If the price could be lowered to 10,000 yuan, Ma said he would seriously consider buying one. Endit