Robots have never been exactly cute. In fact, our metal friends are generally more terrifying than anything else. Some researchers are fixing this by creating the first robot that may be able to pass as being “cute.”

Meet Roboy, a new humanoid robot in development at the University of Zürich’s Artificial Intelligence Lab. The little guy is being envisioned as the next generation of robotic assistants for the elderly or disabled. The researchers are currently still in the construction phase, but you can check out their progress below:

As a bonus, here’s a Swiss news report that shows off some of the latest developments in robotics, including Roboy.

The researchers need your help to continue development of Roboy though. That’s why they set up a crowdfunding site with a number of awards available for backers. Most of the awards are tickets to the Robots on Tour event in Zürich to see Roboy in action. If you’re find yourself in Europe during the event on March 8, the little guy just might be worth funding. It will provide an opportunity to see firsthand the new face of cute fear. It’s at least better than that crying robot.

[h/t: i-programmer]
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