ERWIN is not the average robot, he’s a robot with emotions. 
His name stands for an Emotional Robot with Intelligent Network.
He was developed by Dr John Murray and PHD Student Mriganka Biswas at the Lincoln School of Computer Science. Currently he has 5 emotions: natural, happy, sad, angry and surprised. ERWIN can also speak when commanded.
The idea behind ERWIN is to understand relationships. Especially relationships between humans and robots. Mriganka Biswas thinks that ‘companion robots’ are the future and ERWIN will help scientists study the human-robot relationship. Mark is another robot created by the team. However, Mark is emotionless. His face is static but his body moves.
The scientists will study the robots and how humans engage with them. They will analyse whether people prefer ERWIN, the robot with emotions, or Mark, the robot with body movement.
http://youtu.be/_0dG7ylel7c
Depending on the humans reactions then ERWIN will develop characteristics and personality. This is because humans form relationships based interactions and personality. ERWIN doesn’t have any of this so in order to form a relationship he needs to develop these traits.
ERWIN will also be used in a study to understand how children with autism, Asperger syndrome or attachment disorder from relationships.
Listen below for more information and to hear Erwin the robot talk.
