Honda's Adorable Robots Are Lovers Not Haters

LAS VEGAS—Our robot future isn't all gloom and doom. On Tuesday, Honda unveiled a bot that volition overwhelm you with cuteness. Its digital face can smile, cry or, doze off. You can fifty-fifty hug it.

CES 2022 bug art The robot is one of iii models Honda showed hither at CES. All were only concepts, but the company intends to build robots that will help lodge, rather than disrupt it.

"Honda views robotics not as something in conflict with people, but equally an opportunity to expand their potential," said Yoshiyuki Matsumoto, CEO of Honda R&D.

The 3E-A18 comes with a face up because it's designed to interact with people, specially children. Its digital face can show a range of playful expressions including anger and excitement. When sad, the face up will chimera up with bluish h2o.

The bot's outer pare is besides coated in a soft condom-like texture, making it huggable. To move, the robot rolls effectually on 1 bike. Honda envisions the A18 as a guide at airports and shopping malls, just the goal is to not only to make it evidence emotion, simply also read human emotions, Honda added.

Honda 3E-C18 Bot

A second bot, 3E-C18, has two blinking digital eyes and is basically a mobile cart that tin roam around on three wheels. In a video demo, Honda showed the prototype acting as a retail stall, offering up water ice cream.

3E-D18 Honda

The third bot, 3E-D18, is designed every bit a mini off-road vehicle that carries a big power depository financial institution, which can exist used to funnel free energy to other devices. Honda says it can exist useful to firefighters or construction teams.

The company didn't testify off the bot'south capabiltiies, then it's unclear how far along the technology is. Honda too has no timetable on when they'll exist available, but it does intend to make them real products one day.