When we talk about advances in humanoid robotics, practical questions come readily to mind. Can a robot walk steadily, handle delicate objects, and complete tasks reliably? Can it do those things at a price that makes it worth owning?

Those capabilities matter. But do they explain everything that would make someone want a robot?

A robot bought to perform a job needs to do it well. Yet people also value products for qualities that are harder to capture in a list of specifications.

Consider collectible toys. A figure does very little sitting on a shelf or hanging from a bag, but it can mean a great deal to its owner. Its appearance, the story it represents, or the personality it suggests can inspire affection without serving a practical purpose.

Lu Zhuoran, founder of robotics company Rotaku, thinks humanoid robots have something to learn from that.

In an interview with our counterparts at 36Kr, he describes how small movements of the head and hands, posture, and gait can give a robot a distinct presence. Those details, he said, can shape how people relate to a machine sharing their space.

In other words, how a robot does something could matter alongside what it does.

A robot greeting restaurant customers, for instance, could express the business’s brand identity through its gestures and manner. The greeting would serve a practical purpose while also shaping the experience of being there.

Lu calls his proposed product a “character humanoid.” He imagines a robot with a backstory, a worldview, strengths, and flaws that emerge through its interactions. Rotaku hopes to use reusable bodies and software to support different characters.

Making those characters convincing still depends on engineering. Lu puts the quality of the physical product first, followed by its interactions and settings. His proposal gives that work another objective: creating a robot whose presence people might enjoy.

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