It seems that in Singapore, robotic breakthroughs are starting to become more common. Just recently Ngee Ann Polytechnic unveiled a robot that would help the elderly with their exercises, and now Nanyang Technological University has announced that they have created a robot called Nadine.
What makes Nadine different is that while most robots are created to help with tasks like heavy lifting, manufacturing, and etc., Nadine was created as a social robot where it can actually help to keep its owner company. The robot will be able to greet people, remember their name, and even remember conversations that they have had with the robot.
In fact if were to just take a quick glance at the photo above, Nadine has been created in such a way that unless you were to look closely, you might mistake her for an actual human being! Nadine has also been programmed to have different moods depending on the kind of conversation that you have with her.
According to Prof Thalmann, the director of the Institute for Media Innovation who led the development of Nadine, “As countries worldwide face challenges of an aging population, social robots can be one solution to address the shrinking workforce, become personal companions for children and the elderly at home, and even serve as a platform for healthcare services in future.” So it looks like not only do we have to worry about robots stealing our jobs one day, but how they might even steal our companions from us as well!
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