There is an interesting inverse phenomenon involved in creating humanoid robots: The more lifelike they are, the creepier they become.

It’s not something that makes complete sense if you think about it. Theoretically, as robots become more human-like, they should begin to blend more into society and become less weird. Realistically, humanoid robots are still just a little bit off. They appear human, but they’re not quite right. The motions aren’t smooth enough, the facial movements are too simplified, and the result is something that’s even creepier than a non-humanoid robot. It’s just dissimilar enough to make you uncomfortable.

With that in mind, I present DARPA’s PETMAN, a humanoid robot designed by Boston Dynamics with funding from the Department of Defense’s Chemical and Biological Defense program. This particular robot—which will now haunt my dreams—is being used to test protective gear.

See the latest Engineering Newswire coverage of DARPA’s PETMAN.

See the complete post on ECN at: https://www.ecnmag.com/blogs/2013/04/creepiest-robot-yet.