(IBT) – A researcher is set to unveil research that finds humans can feel pity for robots if they exhibit distress signals, like sad sounds or trembling motions.

Marieke Wieringa conducted a series of experiments at Radboud University that studied how people respond to violence against robots. The results showed that people were more hesitant to mistreat robots that seemed to “feel” pain, a concept that logically cannot occur since they are inanimate objects, the university reports. (Read More)