Disney creating 'deformable', 'humanoid' robots to hug children

A new patent application has revealed that Disney is looking into the development of robotic versions of its animated characters. The document describes "soft body" robots built specifically for "physical interaction with humans". It doesn't mention any specific characters, but the images alongside the filing show off a bulbous torso resembling that of Big Hero 6's Baymax. The entertainment firm's application repeatedly stresses the importance of safety. It says the robots would have a "rigid support element" and soft, deformable body parts that could potentially be filled with a gas or fluid.