A recent study found robots that speak in a "charismatic" tone while directing a college class can boost creativity among humans. Artificial intelligence could soon start replacing household pets -- no vet bills required. As various types of robots continue to hit the market, AI-powered "animals" have arrived on the scene as well. One example is Go1, the world's first intelligent quadruped robot "companion" that is developed by China's Unitree Robotics. The robotic sidekick walks on all fours, much like a dog -- but there's no need for a collar or a leash.

For many people, owning a pet can be a source of joy and comfort. Pets can provide companionship, reduce stress levels, and even improve physical health. However, not everyone is able to own a real pet due to various reasons such as allergies, financial constraints, or living situations that don't allow for pets. Enter lifelike robo pets, the latest innovation in the world of artificial intelligence and robotics. These pets are designed to look and act like real animals, offering many of the same benefits as living pets without the challenges of pet ownership. What are lifelike robo pets?

While it's a common fear that robots will one day rise up and turn against us, there's currently a major obstacle standing in the way - they're too fragile. New research is hoping to make robots more resilient by equipping them with special software that can help them learn how to bounce back from an injury in two minutes or less. The hope is that these learning algorithms will help produce more effective autonomous robots that require less human intervention and can last longer in critical situations like the workplace or search and rescue scenarios. For the study, scientists from the Pierre and Marie Curie Universit and the University of Wyoming, took a page from real animals. When an animal is injured, they're able to compensate by limping, shifting their weight or some other strategy.

In my last blog post, I introduced readers to William Grey Walter (1910 – 1977), a renowned neurophysiologist, cybernetician, and robotician. His futuristic aim was to construct mechanical models--robots--that were capable of realistically simulating the behavior of living beings. Grey Walter's most famous robotic creations were his Cybernetic Tortoises. Elmer and Elsie, his first two robots, were constructed between 1948 and 1949. They appeared to exhibit intelligent action: they were goal-directed (they moved toward light and stopped doing so when they reached the light) and they avoided obstacles that blocked their way to the goal. In a truly remarkable coincidence, robotic tortoises have very recently made the news!

Researchers have pulled inspiration from nature to create an energy efficient robot. Using the same movements as a cheetah, the team has mimicked the animal's ability to store energy in its muscles by fitting the robot's legs with springs - and it only uses 15 percent more energy than the real thing. Its creators have suggested that this project will lead to more elegant and energy conscious machines, and could be used in creating rehabilitation robots or advanced prosthetics. Using the same movements as a cheetah, the team has mimicked the animal's ability to store energy in its muscles by fitting the robot's legs with springs - and it only uses 15 percent more energy than the real thing The University of Twente first learned about the real animal by watching videos and using software to analyze their movements. Currently, it can only move 0.6 miles per hour (1 km/h).

Cats and dogs could soon be replaced with robots, one leading expert has claimed. It is believed that the global growth in population will lead to real animals being only for the super-rich. A Melbourne professor warns the global growth in population will lead to real animals being only for the super-rich. Paro, a robotic baby seal, is being used in the USA as therapy for medical patients. Virtual worlds, where people can own animals, have been very successful - HappyFarm had 23 million users every day at its peak.

When pet Lila wasn't getting as much playtime as the other two animals in her Plymouth, Mass., home, owner Genie Boutchia felt guilty. Then when a potential new owner came calling with $850 in hand, Ms. Boutchia felt even guiltier. She changed her mind and deemed Lila not for sale. Such feelings of moral responsibility might seem normal, even admirable, in a dog owner. But Lila is not a real dog.

The rising interest in quadrupeds over the past few years has led to the development of several exciting new projects based on Cheetahs. One such robot is Cheetah-Cub, a compliant quadruped developed at the Biorobotics lab at the EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. To put Cheetah-Cub in motion, the EPFL group teamed up with researchers from the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), who have recently managed to transfer horse-like locomotion to the robot. EPFL's Cheetah-Cub quadruped, which weighs just 1.1 kg (2.4 lb) and is about the size of a housecat, is powered by Kondo KRS2350 hobby servos. It's a compliant robot that, like IIT's COMAN humanoid, is part of the AMARSi (Adaptive Modular Architectures for Rich Motor Skills) project, which seeks to "improve biological richness of robotic motor skills."

That's not much of a surprise, since the online message board is all about the ins and outs of erotic dolls, as in the kind men have sex with. Some regulars use the site to trade tips on gel butt implants. Others complain about the pubic hair of one doll or the breasts of another. Nukeno, however, uses it to tell the crowd what makes him happy: Nele and Kiko, his two dolls. "Perhaps I have been alone for too long," writes the self-described 34-year-old from Germany.