Never Stare Down a Robot

There are a few things historically difficult to make a robot do. Stairs, of course, are the obvious problem. But realistic blinking behavior is harder than you might think. At first, it might seem frivolous and simple to have a robot blink, but according to Italian scientists, it is both more important and more difficult than you probably think.

Blinking is a nonverbal cue when humans communicate. The post quotes a Finnish researcher:

While it is often assumed that blinking is just a reflexive physiological function associated with protective functions and ocular lubrication, it also serves an important role in reciprocal interaction.

The researchers found that both 13-year-old and adult subjects like blinking robots more. Apparently, a robot that doesn’t blink makes people feel stared at — sorry HAL.

The researchers also note that blinking is subtle, so getting it right isn’t easy and requires high-precision motors. They mention that making it move fast and look realistic takes a lot of work. We wonder, however, if an LCD-rendered eye could blink very effectively and at a lower cost. After all, the eye doesn’t have to be the robot’s actual camera. Regardless, the researchers point out that if the blinking isn’t natural, it appears “odd and disturbing.”

We’ve seen plenty of blinking eye mechanisms. They don’t have to be overly complicated.