Can robots give emotional support? (2023)

Can robots give emotional support?

Socially assistive robots (SARS) are a class of robotic systems specifically designed to help vulnerable or older users to complete everyday activities. In addition to increasing their independence, these robots could stimulate users mentally and offer basic emotional support.

Emotional interaction

Japanese researchers from the RIKEN Guardian Robot Project have created Nikola, an android kid capable of communicating six basic emotions – anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness and surprise.

Although the empathy discussed in these situations is often understood in a folk way, through their behaviour and appearance in certain situations, robots are not only able to enter into relationships that evoke a sense of empathy in people, but can also maintain these relationships.

The researchers say that robots could be a useful addition to traditional methods of mental health assessment, although they are not intended to be a substitute for professional mental health support.

If robots were to feel emotions, society would need to consider their rights as living beings, which could be detrimental to humanity. It is unjust and cruel to deny a living, caring thing certain treatments and activities. Therefore, robots with emotions and specific desires would be a severe weight on our society.

The robot in question – called the Ameca – comes from Engineered Arts, a robotics company that designs life-like robots capable of displaying human emotion. It's incredibly advanced stuff, but if the idea is giving you the creeps, don't worry, you're not alone.

Robots can climb rough terrain, help humans maintain social distance protocols, and even dance like nobody's watching. Now researchers have discovered they might show glimmers of empathy.

Robots are helping humans in a growing number of places - from archaeological sites to disaster zones to sewers. The robots can gather data, squeeze into small spaces – even call an elevator.

Robots eliminate dangerous jobs for humans because they are capable of working in hazardous environments. They can handle lifting heavy loads, toxic substances and repetitive tasks. This has helped companies to prevent many accidents, also saving time and money.

Why can't robots show empathy?

No machine can ever experience the world as humans do, no machine can replicate the interlinking sensory experiences and our emotional responses to them.

Emotional robots perform this task by fulfilling the specific psychological needs of interaction, communication, companionship, and attachment. Different robotic artifacts can be classified under this broad definition (see Miklósi & Gácsi, 2012, for an extensive demonstration of robot examples).

Humanoid robots are being used in the inspection, maintenance and disaster response at power plants to relieve human workers of laborious and dangerous tasks. Similarly, they're prepared to take over routine tasks for astronauts in space travel.

A machine will never replace genuine human feelings and emotions even if it is a sophisticated one. Building a relationship with a robot is weird. The choices we make, the actions we take, and the perceptions we have are all influenced by the emotions we are experiencing at any given moment.

Robots can improve our quality of life and make the world better, not by replacing humans, but by working effectively together. Researchers at MIT Sloan and MIT CSAIL are exploring how robotics has the potential to power the economy and improve the quality of our lives.