In the photo: China is developing hyper-realistic robots that can imitate emotions

Robots are so realistic that they are able to smile and grimace, have hair and beards. Photo: REUTERS/Florence Lo

The Chinese company is developing hyper-realistic humanoid robots that mimic facial expressions and emotions.

EXROBOTS, based in the northeastern city of Dalian, said the robots are among the most advanced in the world and in the future may find application in psychological disorders.< /p>

At the factory, rows of semi-finished silicon faces with smiles, grimaces, hair and beards are viewed from a workbench.

Robots can be used to help people with psychological disorders. Photo: REUTERS/Florence Lo

Li Boyang, chief executive of EXROBOTS, said its robots will differ from many existing basic models by training them using artificial intelligence to recognize and express expressions and emotions.

“ The model we create is multimodal and capable of emotional expression. It can perceive the environment and produce appropriate feedback using its face,” Lee said.

While the EXROBOTS worker moves her head, smiles and sticks out her tongue, a humanoid robot with tiny motors in its head copies her movements. .

The robots take up to a month to create and cost around £162,000. Photo: REUTERS/Florence Lo.

The robots are planned to be exhibited in museums, one of which the company placed in the same building as its plant. But in the future they may have applications in the healthcare sector, says Lee.

“Psychological counseling and healthcare are certainly future application scenarios. We are currently conducting relevant studies such as supportive treatment and pre-screening for emotional and psychological disorders,” he said.

EXROBOTS said it takes two weeks to a month to produce a humanoid robot, prices are listed from 1.5 million yuan (£162,600) to 2 million yuan.