Hanson Robotics specializes in animatronics for theme parks, but their aspirations run much higher. Their website says that they are working “to realize the dream of friendly machines who truly live and love, and co-invent the future of life”. Visit them at: http://www.hansonrobotics.com/

If we imagine the type of life-like realism their robots display with the brains of a cognitive technology like IBM’s Watson, the maneuverability of a robot like Atlas (or others), and the affordability of a robot like Baxter, well, their dream might not be so far off.

The interaction between Jules and a Hanson Robotics employee here is obviously scripted ( oddly, it is the human who gives this away, not Jules), but it is fascinating nonetheless because it shows how easily we can empathize with an artificial lifeform. Imagine this technology, coupled with strong AI, in its third or fourth iteration. We can already get a sense of how naturally an emotional bond can form with such advanced machines.