In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory Zurich, the University of Zurich presents “Robots on Tour”: World Congress & Exhibition of Robots, Humanoids, Cyborgs and more. It took place on 8th (only for schools) and 9th (public exhibition with approx. 4,000 visitors) March 2013 in Zurich, Switzerland. Over 40 robots from all over the world such as AFFETTO, iCub, Armar, PR-2 and Cornell Ranger will be presented to the broad audience. World-class speakers such as Rodney Brooks attended and as an additional highlight, the AI Lab unveiled its new robot Roboy: Switzerland’s first robotic child!

If robots are going to be part of our everyday lives, they’ll need to fit into our homes rather than the factory floor. Few people would be comfortable living with a metal spider on tank treads, so the University of Zurich’s Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (AI Lab) has built this robot toddler called “Roboy.” Using “soft robotics ” technology that mimics the human body, the 1.2 meter (3 ft, 11 in) tall humanoid robot is part of an effort to make robots that people are more comfortable with in day-to-day situations.

Roboy doesn’t look very endearing at the moment. In fact, it looks more like a cyborg skeleton than a charming child, but it’s still a work in progress. The laboratory’s goal is to build Roboy in only nine months. Work began June 2012 with 15 project partners and over 40 engineers and scientists. These parties are providing expertise and funds through sponsorship and crowdfunding that includes auctioning space on the robot for logos, and hiring it out for business functions when completed.

Built out of plastic, Roboy is modeled on the human musculoskeletal system, but this mimicry goes beyond the aesthetic. Instead of motors in its joints, Roboy uses motor assemblies that pull elastic cables, so the system operates in a way similar to muscles and tendons. AI Lab claims that this will allow Roboy to move “almost as elegantly as a human.”

The purpose of Roboy is to push for the acceptance of service robots by making people more comfortable having them around all the time. With an aging population, AI Lab believes that such service robots will be increasingly important in helping the elderly to continue independent lives.

Roboy is currently getting a new face chosen by a Facebook contest, and can move its arms. Later, the robot will be covered with a soft skin. Roboy has made its first public appearance at the “Robots on Tour” exhibition on March 9, to celebrate AI Lab’s 25th anniversary, and next it aims to make more people to accept and like it.