World's First Robotic Newscasters are Creepily Human

Robots may hold the stereotype of being stoic, cold machines. Yet thanks to a group of Japanese scientists who've come up with the world's first robotic newscasters, the "inhuman" stereotype might be changing.

"Making androids is about exploring what it means to be human," said robotics expert Hiroshi Ishiguro, an Osaka University professor, via the Associated Press (AP).

Ishiguro and crew crafted two new robots, named Kodomoroid and Otonaroid--girlish-looking androids that can twitch their eyebrows, blink and even sway their heads from side to side, if they're stating disapproval.  And make no mistake about their younger appearance. Kodomorid delivered news of both an earthquake and an FBI raid to reporters Tuesday at the Miraikan museum in Tokyo.

The robots are powered by compressed air and servomotors, giving them the ability to move their hands as they sit. Though these androids may appear young, they can also speak in a variety of different voices, ranging from deep masculine tones to a squeaky small child, according to the Daily Mail.

However, with every new project come some slight issues. For instance, these new robots may not always move their mouths exactly as sound is produced, along with their silicone skin and artificial muscle movements. Yet, from Wednesday forward, they will be on display at the national Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo.