Charles, the mind-reading robot, can mimic human emotions

'Emotional' robots have taken a step closer to reality, thanks to a mind-reading machine capable of mimicking human feelings. The robot, named Charles, is equipped with cameras and software that can record and analyse a person's facial expressions. This information is then relayed to artificial muscles on the robot, which can replicate facial movements associated with a variety of moods. Experts at Cambridge University hope that the breakthrough will help robots respond to subtle cues revealed by people during a conversation. The development could aid the creation of robots that can think and feel like people, which some researchers claim could be a reality within the next decade.