When soft music is playing in the background, a brief exchange with a robot can evoke unexpected feelings of intimacy.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Friendly robots, the ones people love to love, are quirky: R2-D2, C-3PO, WALL-E, BB-8, Marvin, Roz and Baymax. They’re emotional, prone to panic or bossy, empathetic and able to ...

It takes more than words to cure a lonely heart. Scientists have discovered that adding music to a robot's repertoire makes it feel more lifelike and emotionally supportive.

A child with a new cochlear implant works on auditory rehabilitation exercises at home in Toulouse, France, aided by Pepper, a human-looking robot. In Canada, another child interacts with Pepper, who ...

AI’s concealed labor has repeatedly led us to overestimate the technology. Humanoid robots are entering a similar phase.

Whether they’re delivering food or folding your laundry, consumer-facing robots are increasingly being designed to be more ...

AI-powered delivery robots from companies like Serve Robotics are replacing human drivers across the nation — but they can’t do it without help.

Making robots more human may turn out to be a costly mistake, not because the technology fails, but because it ignores the people it's meant to help.