There are quite a lot of irrational fears inspired by pop culture. One of them is the AI scare – whenever there is a new development in robotic technology, a handful of people often ask if these can overrule humanity’s planetary authority. When asked where this fear stems from, they will often source credible scientific documentaries such as The Matrix, Wall-E, iRobot, and other supposedly well-grounded evidence. If you share this fear, then Ameca, a realistic robot being developed by Engineered Arts this 2021, probably makes you very queasy.

The team behind Ameca boasts that we haven’t really seen its full capabilities yet. The goal behind the humanoid is to emulate humanity’s bodily non-verbal cues so that this can be paired with the AI thought process currently in development to complete a proper communication system.

As seen in this 2021 video, the realistic robot is coming to life and can be inferred to gain some semblance of self-awareness. Its intricate facial movements are designed to convey emotions that robots haven’t been able to express in the past.

Despite all its prowess, Ameca is advertised to be modular – so features can be added over future updates to both its hardware and software. The team also seeks to give it the ability to walk to wherever it needs to be.

In addition to being a developmental platform, Ameca is also a neat party trick that can be rented out or purchased. Prices for either still aren’t made public though, and it probably costs a pretty penny. Regardless, this robot will surely be the center of attention at your next gathering should you decide to pull the trigger. Hopefully, it doesn’t make the same decision on you ala-Ultron. Well, unless you’re an extreme Marvel fan with the miniature Iron Man in your collection.

Interested? Here’s their official site and information regarding the humanoid.