A patent application by Disney has sparked speculation its theme parks could soon be manned by ‘humanoid robots.’
In its patent application the company says it is working on machines ‘adapted for soft contact and/or interaction with a human.’
They would be able to ‘physically interact with children,’ Disney Enterprises said.
"The inventors recognized that there was a need for robots that can safely interact with humans and, particularly, with children. To physically interact with children, the inventors understood that the robot should be soft and durable. With this in mind, a robot physical and control design was created by the in inventors with soft and deformable body parts," the patent filing said.
Perhaps taking inspiration from the Baymax character in the 2014 movie ‘Big Hero 6,’ Disney has created a 3D printed small toy-sized prototype robot with ‘soft skin’ movable parts.
The patent acknowledges the difficulty in getting the right balance between interactivity and safety
It has proven difficult to provide wholly safe interactions between humans and robots simply by operating these humanoid and other robots with controlled movements."
The company has offered no planned timeline but will likely spend a long period in the testing phase to ensure a Westworld style robot running amok doesn’t become a reality any time soon.
