[Geste]

Communicate intention (Do robots have intention ? Or is it just mine ?)

Display attention (They don't need attention.)

Show attitude (They don't need nor don't have attitude unless artificially programmed.)

Express emotions (...What ?)

Why are we trying to make robots seem more human ? I mean, it's straight from Apple Playbook (like the breathing light made to mimic us https://avital.ca/notes/a-closer-look-at-apples-breathing-li...) but damn, if it isn't frustrating to see all the stratagems just to make us like those machines we have no interest in liking !

[aeontech]

TBH I think you are underestimating the practicality of it. If we are co-working or co-inhabiting with non-static entities, this becomes a much bigger concern. There is a reason industrial robots are generally in safety cages, with rapid shutdown any time the safety boundary is crossed by a human.

Option 1 - my home robot makes a sudden movement, catching me off guard, and smacking me across the shins (or worse).

Option 2 - my robot loudly announces "warning, moving to the left in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1", which drives me insane after a few days.

Option 3 - my robot taps into a million years of non-verbal communication that humans have evolved, and indicates what it is about to do both with more subtle audible and physical cues.

PS: regarding "display attention" - trivial example, "hey assistant, remind me to do X on Sunday"

- option 1: no attention display, I have no idea whether my request has been recorded

- option 2: verbal or auditory or physical cue that assistant is listening, and a cue to confirm that the request was processed successfully.