Albert Einstein has been re-created as a robot, right down to the unruly hair and luxuriant moustache, but the electronic version is no genius by human standards.

While it would be no use at proving the physicist’s unified field theory, the robot Einstein is extraordinary in that it can recognise and respond to human emotions.

This head-and-shoulders creation could shape mankind’s interaction with robots and determine just how human-like future robots should be.

Scientists also hope that it will ensure the development of empathetic robots, thus avoiding conflicts between man and machine.

The Einstein robot was designed by David Hanson, president of a Texas robotics company. The face was moulded from a flesh-like material called Frubber, which Mr Hanson engineered right down to its microscopic skin pores. It is manipulated by 31 motors around its mouth and eyes. The head was originally placed on top of a robot body in collaboration with the Kaist Hubo robotics group of Korea, forming a strange hybrid of physicist and angular white humanoid.

Einstein can recognise hundreds of facial expressions including sadness, anger, fear, happiness and confusion, as well as cues suggesting age and gender.

Scientists at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology at UC San Diego have introduced software to allow it to interact “naturally” with humans. The robot, which cost more than $75,000 (£50,000) to create, might turn its head, raise its eyebrows and smile. Javier Movellan, a research scientist at the university’s Machine Perception Laboratory, said that the effect could be startling.

It is hoped that the robot may help to teach children with autism better communication skills, and to improve intelligent tutoring systems, in which robots or avatars teach students. A key area of research will be the question of how closely robots should resemble humans. It appears that the more human-like the robot, the more uncomfortable it makes people feel.

This dilemma is crucial to robotics, which seeks to allow humans to interact with robots in a natural way. Mr Hanson said: “Some scientists believe strongly that very human-like robots are so inherently creepy that people can never get over it and interact with them normally.”

The goal is to develop a creative, intelligent machine that rivals or exceeds a human level of intelligence — and does so without compromising humanity.

“If things go really well, we’re maybe ten years away from that happening,” Mr Hanson said. “But it’s very important that we develop empathic machines, machines that have compassion, machines that understand what you’re feeling. If these robots do become as intelligent as human beings, we want this infrastructure of compassion and empathy to be in place so the machines are prepared to use their intellectual powers for the good of civilisation. In a way, we’re planting the seeds for the survival of humanity.”

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