Get smart curated videos delivered to your inbox.   SUBSCRIBE
The Kid Should See This

Anthropomorphism in Robots

Watch more with these video collections:

What is it like to see a robot that speaks, moves, and even reacts like a human might? How do we react? The Verge reports on Anthropomorphism in Robots at the 2014 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show).

Anthropomorphism, or personification, occurs when inanimate objects, animals, or things in nature are given human qualities.

Talking with two RoboThespian robots
RoboThespian
The video features Engineered Arts’ RoboThespian, a big-eyed automaton with a purposeful sci-fi robot look, and Paro, a huggable baby seal stuffed animal robot by Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

Paro, the theraputic seal
What emotions are stirred by these technologies?

There are more robots and more anthropomorphic examples in the archives, including eyebombing, the animated short Omelettethe Otamatone Jumbo, and one of our favorites: Cloudy.

This Webby award-winning video collection exists to help teachers, librarians, and families spark kid wonder and curiosity. TKSST features smarter, more meaningful content than what's usually served up by YouTube's algorithms, and amplifies the creators who make that content.

Curated, kid-friendly, independently-published. Support this mission by becoming a sustaining member today.

🌈 Watch these videos next...

Two Atlas robots show off their parkour skills

Rion Nakaya

The next generation of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot

Rion Nakaya

The incredible jumping Sand Flea robot by Boston Dynamics

Rion Nakaya

Soccer-playing robots

Rion Nakaya

Robot riding a bicycle

Rion Nakaya

Robot – Mysteries of vernacular

Rion Nakaya

ROBO-ONE Robot Sword Match

Rion Nakaya

Quadruple backflip by the Hinamitetu robot gymnast

Rion Nakaya

Parkour Atlas

Rion Nakaya