Last month, Apple shared some interesting information about its work on consumer robots through a research paper. This paper suggests that how robots move and express themselves is very important for helping them interact better with people. The report starts by noting that, similar to many animals, humans are very good at noticing movement and small changes in how things move.
To make its point clearer, Apple references Pixar, a well-known animation studio that was also co-founded by the late Steve Jobs. Pixar has a famous character, the Luxo Jr. lamp, which has been its mascot since it appeared in a short film in 1985. For its ownx research, Apple decided to use a lamp as an example of a robot that doesn’t look like a person. Lamps don’t have human features, but they can be designed to move in ways that feel familiar to us.
The research paper explains that for robots to engage with humans more naturally, their movements should include expressive qualities, such as showing intention, paying attention, and conveying emotions. These expressive movements should be combined with the usual practical aspects of robots, like completing tasks and doing things efficiently.
Along with the paper, Apple released a video demonstrating some of these expressive movements. Interestingly, many of the movements in the video are similar to those of Pixar’s Luxo Jr. lamp. In the video, the lamp robot has parts that mimic a head and neck, with the lampshade acting as the head and the arm functioning like a neck.
One of the most fascinating parts of the video shows how the lamp robot responds when a person asks it a question. At its core, this lamp robot acts like a more animated version of smart speakers like the HomePod or Amazon Echo. When someone asks the lamp a question, it replies using Siri’s voice.
In the video, there’s a split screen that emphasizes the importance of expressive movements. For example, when asked about the weather, one version of the robot simply gives the answer, while another version turns its head to look out the window, as if it is using the view to help anxswer the question. This small gesture highlights how even minor movements can create a connection between people and objects, tapping into our instinctive reactions.
Apple’s research comes at a time when the company seems to be increasing its focus on consumer robots, especially with plans to launch a more advanced smart home system. The findings from this research could help make a robotic home hub more engaging and relatable. This approach is somewhat similar to what Amazon has done with its Astro robot. However, Apple’s research suggests that their robot might not look very human-like at all.
There have been rumors about the upcoming smart home hub, describing it as “a robot arm with an iPad attached.” It’s easy to imagine how the lamp design could fit into this concept. However, it appears that Apple’s consumer robotics efforts are still in the research stage, and a lot could change before any product is officially released. This could range from significant changes in design to possibly even deciding to cancel the project altogether before it launches.
