Could you imagine a robot that comforts you when you are in low spirits? This dream is becoming reality. The Institute of Advanced Intelligent Machine of Hefei University of Technology in Anhui Province says it has invented a robot with emotions. The robot can understand you through your expression, words and movements, and chat with you like a friend.

A common robot can only carry out the orders of human beings. But this kind of robot can interact with people after it judges people's emotions through observation, according to Sun Xiao, an associate professor with the institute, anhuinews.com reported Friday.

Because human beings have various methods, including words and body language, to express their emotions, the designers of the robot introduced emotional parameters so it can observe and understand the emotions of human beings and have its own abilities to express emotions, the report said.  

"It could look after senior citizens. It could chat with them with simple words and help them carry things. Once the robot senses an elderly person's negative moods, it will start a conversation with hopes of comforting them," Sun said. "If it finds that the elderly person misses his or her kids who stay in faraway places, it will contact them."

According to the report, the appearance of the robot can be selected by clients. For example, elderly people could buy a robot that looks like their kids, the report said. Currently, the university has produced two such robots as samples. More will be manufactured later this year, the report said.

anhuinews.com