UK scientists bring WALL-E-like robots a step closer to reality

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• UK unveils sensitive robots, a step closer to reality

In Disney/Pixar's latest animated film WALL-E, the central character displays a range of emotions normally associated with humans such as fear and anxiety.

However such images may not be confined to fantasy for much longer if scientific researchers have their way.

Developers from the University of West England unveiled two new robots that actually respond to human emotion in London's Science Museum on July 29.

Matthew Denton is the animatronic designer behind the IC Hexapod, a six-legged walking machine which features a face tracking device.

He explains the techonology that controls its spider-like leg movements and the computer vision system that allows it to 'see'.

Matthew says that he has long held an interest in what he calls 'creative engineering' and that the bulk of the time it took to develop the IC Hexapod was spent on developing the software.

The idea behind the robotics event came from the desire to attract children during the school holidays - often a busy time for the Science Museum.

Holly Cave is the Contemporary Science Content Developer at the Museum. She says that animated films provided the inspiration for the three day interactive event.

Over the three days the Museum expects to see around a thousand people through the doors to see the IC Hexapod Robot and it's mechanical counterpart, the Heart Robot - testament to the enduring fascination that robots hold for people.

Cave thinks that the desire to emotionalise inanimate objects stems from human nature.

While the IC Hexapod Robot might have more internal human characteristics, the Heart Robot has an altogether more human look.

It features eyes that blink, hands that grab fingers and even a heart that beats - reflecting the robot's 'emotional state'.

David McGoran is a Robotics researcher from the University of the West of England - he's the creator behind the Heart Robot.

He says that the Heart Robot's characteristics enable it to truly respond to people.

McGoran says that the drive for development in robotics comes from a variety of sources - the toy industry being one of them.

Commentators say that the development re-opens the debate about whether robots could one day become emotionally intelligent.

McGoran says that there are far reaching implications for the emotionally sensitive robots in modern and future societies.

Fully emotionalised robots may not be a reality right now but the leaps and bounds made by scientific researchers mean that the day that they are, may not be as far away as we imagine.