Professor Commissions Creepy Robot That Looks Exactly Like Him

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This isn’t eerie at all: Geminoid DK, in conjunction with Professor Henrik Scharfe of Aalborg University in Denmark, has created a robotic version of the associate professor that looks identical to him. If it weren’t enough that the robot looked exactly like Scharfe, it also mimics the professor’s shrugs and facial expressions.

The Japanese firm focuses on creating lifelike machine versions of real people and has had success making people look twice at machines like this one, which strikes an uncanny resemblance to robotics professor and creator Hiroshi Ishiguro. This device in particular will be sent back to Denmark where it will be used to study human interactions with robots in different cultural contexts, Fast Company reports.

Scharfe will also use the machine to test “blended presence,” or a part-digital, part-realistic way that people can communicate.

In case you were wondering, according to IEEE Spectrum, Scharfe’s wife said she prefers the original iteration and thinks version 2.0 could make itself useful by going to conferences so her husband doesn’t have to. Cute… I guess?

She has a point though: Think of all the different things you could do if you had a body double. No more waiting in line for the DMV or sitting aimlessly when it’s your turn for jury duty. You could be at that business meeting while enjoying a wonderful meal with your significant other. It’s all good, as long as the fake, robotic you doesn’t get any ideas about taking over your life.

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