Need a hug?
Hugo will help you out.
In a world of decreasing human-to-human interaction the need for tactile relations is more pressing than ever. Hugo is therapeutic mechanical hugger, with a very un-robotic exterior. He is charming in his motions and comforting in his fuzzy and warm embraces. He makes the spectator smile, but he also raises some important questions about future living. Can a robot's embrace replace a human hug? Should the robots we include in our daily life try to replicate human behaviour? Or are we moving into dangerous territory when playing with emotional human-robot interaction?
Hugo will not answer these questions for you, be he does contribute to a positive atmosphere wherever he goes with his unique personality and friendly being. And if you are in the mood for a dance, he can show you some moves.
Hugo received a silver medal in the Designers Saturday Awards Best Talent 2017.
The jury said this about Hugo: "The contribution enlightens a discussion about how we live, what technology takes from us and what it could give".
Torstein is refining the Arduino code while Petter is adjusting the hugging sensors.
Testing the hugging arm
Not just a hugger. Hugo likes to dance too.
Ane and her fuzzy friend
Ane post-hug
Project done by Torstein Bakke, Ane Otterlei, Petter Mustvedt, Trude Telle and Alex Kowsc Rosinke
Photos by Alex Kowsc Rosinke
