A new humanoid robot named Nadine was developed by scientists and engineers in Singapore that not only looks like a human but also possesses its own personality and set of emotions.
Nadine is a receptionist at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) which is also modelled to appear like Swiss professor Nadia Thalmann, who is also the lead researcher for this robotic development. The team intends for the robot to be a "social companion" or personal assistant of sorts.
Scientists say that Nadine's emotions can range from feeling happy or sad, which can depend on the flow of conversation. This robot can also recognize and remember people it already encountered and even remember what someone told the robot.
A new video was released by the university that demonstrates how Nadine was greeting Thalmann where they have a short conversation. Thalmann further explains that this robot is almost like a real companion that can always be with you and is also conscious of what is happening around.
She adds how this new type of robot can also address aging population issues in different countries where this can be regarded as a solution to a dwindling workforce, and even become personal companions for children and the elderly at home and can also be utilized for health care services in the future.
Scientists believe that Nadine can become as "socially intelligent" like C-3PO, a droid in the Star Wars movies that is known for its language skills and etiquette. University researchers also claim that Nadine has intelligent software similar to Apple's virtual assistant, Siri.
Apart from this humanoid robot, Nadine can also appear virtually on television or a computer screen for a more affordable social companion.