遇见Sprout：以友好而非恐惧为赌注的人形机器人

Humanoid robots have spent years chasing power, speed, and industrial usefulness, often borrowing visual cues from science fiction that leave people uneasy rather than intrigued. A new robot called Sprout is taking the opposite route. Instead of trying to impress with strength or sleek perfection, it aims to feel approachable, readable, and social—qualities its creators believe are essential if robots are ever going to be welcome in everyday human spaces. As Sprout moves through a Manhattan office, it does not loom or rush. It nods its rectangular head, raises windshield-wiper-like “eyebrows,” and extends its grippers in a gesture that unmistakably resembles a handshake. The effect is intentional: this is a robot designed to be met, not managed. …