It’s been a long time since machines replaced humans for many types of work. Now, it seems that humanoid robots will work with humans as their co-workers soon.
One research team of the University of Salzburg did a research from various directions on how robots can interact with humans better. They programmed one of the robots to make mistakes such as not understanding what a co-worker says and asking him or her to repeat what was just said or dropping what it was holding. Then the people who worked with the robots for the research gave a more positive evaluation on the robot that made mistakes than flawless robots, and they even regarded it as more reliable. The impression a “robot” gives is being perfect and thorough. However, when the robot showed flaws, people felt more intimate with it.
Weak points or flaws sometimes bring about positive effects. When someone shows perfectness with no flaws, other people take precaution, feeling hesitant to expose their flaws, too. However, when he or she shows flaws, people loosen their caution and feel comfortable with that person. Flaws may bring people closer to each other, help them cover what the other person is lacking in, and have a warm feeling from one another.