Seeking human-machine social and emotional interactions.
Imagine a robot so advanced that it is capable of interacting, influencing and even changing the behavior of a real mouse. This seems like something out of science fiction, but it is already a reality. Researchers at the Beijing Institute of Technology have created a robotic mouse equipped with Intelligence. artificial capable of accurately imitating the social and emotional behaviors of living rodents.
Mice are widely used as models in scientific research due to their biological similarity to humans, so the impact of this creation goes far beyond laboratory science, it can transform the way we understand human-machine interaction. According to Qing Shi, one of the researchers responsible for the project, “these robotic mice have appearances, movements and even smells similar to those of animals, becoming an essential tool for studying individual and collective behavioral responses.”
What is the secret.
The secret behind this lies in three main aspects, advanced physical design, the robot has a bionic spine that allows it to bend, rotate and move flexibly imitating the mobility of a live mouse, instead of hind legs the researchers opted for wheels which which improves your speed and mobility in indoor environments.
Trained behavior using artificial intelligence; The robotic mouse learned to reproduce typical mouse behaviors such as playful jumping, aggressive fixation, even nose touches, gestures that are part of rodent social interactions and social acceptance.
To ensure that real mice accepted the robots as one of their peers, the scientists coated the robot in mouse urine, masking its artificial odor and making it more familiar. The experiments yielded fascinating answers.
Learning the social interactions of mice
When the robot showed aggressive behaviors the real mice showed fear, on the other hand, when the robot acted in a playful manner, the mice reacted positively, showing clear signs of healthy social interaction.
These observations not only confirmed that the robotic mouse was able to influence the emotional responses of real mice, but also highlighted its ability to adapt its behaviors and improve communication.
Scientists believe that this technology could open new paths to understand how biohybrid systems that combine biology and artificial intelligence can modulate internal states and behaviors, with the ability to adapt their behavior, imitate emotions and create social connections, the robotic mouse is much more that a technological curiosity, represents a milestone in the study of animal behavior.
An improvement in well-being in laboratories and perhaps a glimpse of how robotics and technology could transform human-machine interaction in the future, imagine a world where robots not only perform tasks, but also become social companions and emotional, not only for mice but also for us humans.