Watch creepy robot Ameca smile and imitate human expressions in terrifying video

By Alma Fabiani

Published Aug 17, 2022 at 11:35 AM

Reading time: 1 minute

34936

While Boston Dynamics’ ‘robo-dog’ is known for its agility—as well as for being used to monitor the homeless in Hawaii—Engineered Arts’ humanoid robot Ameca is celebrated for, well, its humanlike facial expressions. So much so that it’s safe to say Ameca puts Hanson Robotics’ Sophia to shame.

On its website, Engineered Arts explains that it makes robots for different purposes than the other companies mentioned above. As the UK’s “leading designer and manufacturer of humanoid entertainment robots,” its goal is to provide the world with the entertainers of the future.

“We do robots. True-to-life human characters that make jaws hit the floor and cause delight to ripple through an unsuspecting crowd,” states the company’s website. But in order to create an android capable of replicating expressions that were, until now, limited to humans only, Engineered Arts had to go straight to the source.

What does a real human do? How do they move? Which facial features react to which emotions? The countless answers to these questions are all analysed and recorded in the form of animations by Engineered Arts researchers and then directly implemented into the design process of Ameca’s technicalities.

The robot’s mechanics can only do what a human can, nothing more. Once you’ve got that, then it’s fairly ‘easy’ to automate those expressions. As a born-entertainer, Ameca is programmed to smile and look approachable—although the humanoid can also imitate thoughtful expressions from time to time.

But it’s almost impossible to picture just how human-like Ameca really is until you’ve seen it for yourself. In the video below, the robot is seen discovering itself in a mirror’s reflection, testing out some of its facial expressions and putting its left hand up to the glass, as if it’s trying to figure out what’s on the other side of it.

From smirks and grimaces to frowns and scowls, I bet you’ve never seen something like this before:

Keep On Reading

By Alma Fabiani

How PUBG MOBILE’s Ptopia Design Project and World of Wonder are changing the game

By Abby Amoakuh

Julia Fox reveals her ex-husband secretly baptised her son and warns women of loser fathers

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Belgian court lets convicted rapist go free so he can become a gynaecologist

By Abby Amoakuh

Aimee Lou Wood urges fans not to copy her teeth as DIY teeth filing trend rises on TikTok

By Annabel Smith

Is TikTok’s protect your peace trend empowering Gen Z women or causing social isolation?

By Sam Davies

These scream queens walked so horror it girl Jenna Ortega could run

By Charlie Sawyer

New study confirms Bacterial Vaginosis can be sexually transmitted, backing what women have long suspected

By Charlie Sawyer

Odd Muse founder Aimee Smale fights back against fast fashion controversy on TikTok

By Abby Amoakuh

Vogue and Gigi Hadid face backlash for producing a Hairspray homage without plus-sized models

By Abby Amoakuh

ICE hit with backlash for lying to elementary school staff in bid to detain young students

By Charlie Sawyer

Pope picking 101: What actually happens during Conclave

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Bad Bunny’s album is a love letter to the iconic white plastic chair at family gatherings

By Abby Amoakuh

Emilia Pérez star Karla Sofía Gascón comes under fire following islamophobic and racist tweets

By Charlie Sawyer

This Oscar-winning actor is the top pick to play Voldemort in HBO Max Harry Potter reboot

By Abby Amoakuh

Chappell Roan faces backlash from TikTok moms for likening motherhood to hell

By Alma Fabiani

Amazon Music is giving away 4 months free. Here’s how to claim it

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl performance was a masterclass in political shade, hidden messages, and Black History month symbolism

By Charlie Sawyer

From performing at Mother Teresa’s canonization to 10+ film roles, no one works as hard as Rita Ora’s agent

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

From immigration to gender identity, Trump’s orders threaten an exclusionary future for the US

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

What is going on with Sky News Australia? Conspiracy theories, plagiarism, and Selena Gomez drama explained