Assistant robots in the household have been popularized, bought, and utilized throughout the 21st century so far. The AI and smart machines that can clean the floors of your home and assist you through the realm of the virtual world lack a welcoming personality for something that is in close proximity to you at home. Addressing this disconnect between robots and humans to make it into an opportunity leads to emotionally intelligent social robots. As companions to humans, most companion robots take on cute appearances ranging from more true-to-life versions of their animal counterparts to a uniquely adorable robot aesthetic. Regardless of their appearance, these companion robots share common curious, jovial, and social personalities to best fit their role as friends and pets to a variety of different owners of all ages. Though they currently cannot truly understand emotions, their ability to interact with people naturally through simple physical cues tends to give people a sense that these cute responsive robots are alive. Despite the fact that they are inanimate in essence, the relationships and emotions they can evoke in people are quite real and meaningful. Perhaps as companion robots become more common as companions, pets, and a form of therapy in nursing homes, hospitals, and households, they will no longer just be purchased to be utilized, but rather adopted as something that can be cared for while it provides the emotional comfort like that of a living pet.
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HenryChenChen. “Kuri – a Cute Robot with Personality.” ISYS6621: Social Media and Digital Business, 24 Feb. 2018, isys6621.com/2018/02/23/kuri-a-cute-robot-with-personality/.
HenryChenChen. “Kuri – a Cute Robot with Personality.” ISYS6621: Social Media and Digital Business, 24 Feb. 2018, isys6621.com/2018/02/23/kuri-a-cute-robot-with-personality/.