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SOCIABLE ROBOTS 123
state by smiling. On the other hand, a harsh, scolding tone moved
Kismet toward an “unhappy” condition, eliciting a frown. In
order to convey the language of facial expressions, Kismet’s red
rubber “lips” could be controlled by a number of motors. The
movements of the eyebrows and ears could also be orchestrated
into a variety of expressions connoting such emotional states as
Kismet’s facial expressions were also generated through a layered group of mod-
ules. Each of the “expression” routines sent movement commands to the motor
server, which determined the order of movements. The requests then went to
motor primitives that controlled the individual body parts. Finally, the precise
movement commands were given to the individual actuators.
