西部世界前传：一个关于机器人自我建模的实验

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the innovative approach of a company, Shouxing Technology, led by Yu Hang Hu, in developing humanoid robots that can express emotions and engage in emotional interactions, positioning them as valuable companions rather than mere tools [2][3][18]. Group 1: Company Overview - Shouxing Technology focuses on creating humanoid robots with emotional capabilities, a niche that has seen little competition [2]. - The company has recently completed a new round of financing and plans to expand its team from around 20 to 40-50 members by the end of the year [4][33]. - The company aims to build a commercial loop in interactive scenarios, targeting high emotional value spaces such as experience centers and theme parks [3][23]. Group 2: Product Development - The humanoid robots are designed to have natural facial expressions and real-time interaction capabilities, which are essential for emotional connection [3][18]. - The robots undergo self-supervised learning by practicing expressions in front of a mirror, allowing them to associate motor commands with facial expressions [13][12]. - The company utilizes advanced algorithms to create smoother and more natural expressions, addressing the "uncanny valley" effect that can arise with humanoid robots [10][9]. Group 3: Market Positioning - The target audience for these robots includes individuals who value emotional companionship, particularly those who understand the importance of emotional connections in life [27]. - The company believes that humanoid robots are better suited for emotional products rather than productivity tools, especially in the next five years [18][20]. - The emotional connection and immersive experience are seen as key differentiators from other AI products in the market [28]. Group 4: Challenges and Future Plans - The company acknowledges the challenge of overcoming the "uncanny valley" effect and is focused on refining their algorithms to enhance the robots' emotional expressiveness [9][10]. - Future plans include creating consumer-friendly, desktop-level products that can be easily experienced by users [23]. - The company is also exploring the Asian market first, due to its large size and relatively uniform aesthetic preferences [38].