Evolving, emotional robot expected to be hot Christmas item

Should humans bond emotionally with robots?

Just in time for Christmas, the Anki firm is releasing a robot capable of forming an emotional bond with humans.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - The Anki "Cozmo" is an affable little machine that is designed to form an emotional bond with humans.

The tiny rover fits in the palm of your hand. It has a basic, digital face with eyes to convey expression. The machine is capable of recognizing people and reacting to them. Play with the toy and it becomes happy. Mistreat it, and it becomes sad. Put it on its charging platform and it goes to sleep, even snores.

The tiny device is intended to be the next generation of virtual pet, but with one exception. It is deliberately designed to form an emotional bond with people.

The machine is wired with the latest consumer-ready artificial intelligence on the market. Its bonds with humans are intended to "evolve" over time, according to the company. Precisely what we should expect and what will happen remains to be seen.

Most likely, the Cosmo will simply be the latest must-have toy for kids, and it will quickly fade in popularity as kids become bored and move on to other pursuits.

Still, the idea that engineers are seeking to build a device that cultivates an emotional bond with humans is concerning.

No device, no matter how clever its designers, will ever be real, in a human sense. No robot can contain a soul, or become sentient the same was as a human. At best, a robot will only be able to simulate these things. These robots may be able to simulate these things so well, they could fool humans. But even then, these machines will only be machines.

It's disconcerting to see that engineers are eager to develop tools --that's what robots are, that form emotional attachments with humans.

The ultimate end of this pursuit is unnatural and morally questionable.

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