China has introduced the world’s first “emotional” robot, Guanghua No 1, at the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai. Developed by Fudan University, this humanoid robot stands at approximately 165 cm tall and weighs around 62 kg. With its “humanlike behavior” and ability to experience emotions such as happiness, anger, sadness, and joy, the robot showcased an impressive range of facial expressions.
Equipped with 45 intelligent joints and a hierarchical generative embodied brain model, Guanghua No 1 possesses the capability to move its hands and maintain an upright posture while walking. The development of this sophisticated humanoid robot was primarily driven by the increasing demands of China’s aging population. Gan Zhongxue, the deputy dean of the Academy for Engineering & Technology of Fudan University, stated that their vision is to create a “health companion” capable of providing personalized and empathetic care for the elderly.
The team behind Guanghua No 1 drew inspiration from the brain’s motivation and dopamine reward mechanism to enhance the robot’s emotional intelligence. By utilizing multilevel coordinated incentive algorithms, the robot can generate humanlike perceptions and behaviors. The development process, involving experts from various fields such as mechanics, biology, engineering, computer science, and big data, has spanned two years.
Fudan University plans to release a trial version of Guanghua No 1 by the end of 2024. Currently, extensive tests are being conducted in provinces like Jiangsu and Zhejiang to ensure improved accuracy and safety. These tests include assessing the robot’s ability to assist the elderly in tasks such as getting out of bed or accompanying them to the restroom.