A factory in China is developing hyper-realistic humanoid robots that can chillingly mimic human facial expressions and emotions in scientists’ latest attempt to replace workers with machines.
Ex-Robots, a robotics firm based in the northeastern coastal city of Dalian, is trying to create lifelike droids that engineers hope will soon be used in the healthcare and education industries.
Terrifying footage from inside the Ex-Robots factory shows workers surrounded by piles of disembodied heads, neck-length silicone masks and spare limbs as they work to construct the most complex class of robotic products in the world.
Drawings of robot designs are adorned on a wall, while female robots donning luxurious wigs and full faces of make-up are displayed along the factory floor.
More unsettling, however, is how the company’s engineers are creating robotic duplicates of themselves and training them to replicate their expressions and emotions.
Video captured from inside the factory shows how when an Ex-Robots worker moves her head, smiles and sticks out her tongue, a humanoid robot mimics her exact movement.
The droids use tiny motors installed in several spaces in their heads and artificial intelligence to recognise and imitate human behaviour.
‘We have our own software and algorithm teams,’ Ex-Robots Chief Executive Li Boyang revealed.
‘There are many basic models and algorithms that are commonly open source, which everyone uses. However, we concentrate more on how to enable the AI to recognise and express expressions and emotions.’
He added that the start-up, which was established in 2009 and started developing humanoid robots in 2016, is also working on its ‘foundation model’.
‘The model we’re making is multi-modal and capable of emotional expression,’ Li said. ‘It can perceive the surrounding environment and produce appropriate facial feedback.’
Ex-Robots said it takes from two weeks to a month to produce a humanoid robot, with prices ranging from ¥1.5million (£162,000) to ¥2million (£216,000).
Ex-Robots opened its EX Future Science and Technology Museum in China’s Liaoning Province in 2022, six years after the firm began its droid development efforts.
The museum – which is the first robot museum in the country – aims to immerse visitors in a complete robotic experience, even replacing humans with humanoid robots as guides.
The robots also use advanced technology, intelligent voice dialogue, and cognitive technology to interact directly with visitors.
The museum also features an AI robot research centre, a bionic robot manufacturing centre, bionic experimental module, and other cutting-edge exhibits that visitors can explore.