Look me in the eyes!
In recent years, professional cleaning robots, especially those developed by Asian manufacturers, are increasingly designed with stylized, friendly “eyes.” These are not functional visual sensors in the traditional sense, but rather expressive design elements. By contrast, many German brands like Kärcher or American makers such as Tennant opt for more utilitarian designs, often using small light bars or minimal indicators instead of animated eyes.
Humanizing by Design: The Asian Approach
Manufacturers in Japan and China particularly embrace cute, anthropomorphic features. The tradition of making robots visually endearing traces back to cultural icons like Astro Boy in Japan, robots that project friendliness and approachability. This “kawaii” aesthetic helps robots seem less intimidating and more companion-like, especially to elderly users and children. Japanese scholars have long explored how animacy and intimacy are created in robot design to foster social bonds with humans.
Why German and American Robots Favor Subtlety
By comparison, companies like Kärcher focus on functionality and industrial efficiency. Their KIRA line of professional cleaning robots, for instance, is designed with precise LiDAR-based navigation and safety-certified sensors, but not with cartoon-like eyes or facial features. Instead, simple light bars or minimal visual cues signal status, prioritizing professionalism over social engagement. American brands like Tennant follow a similar design philosophy, aiming for sleek and competent machines that perform their duties without seeking emotional attention.
Easing the First Encounter
It’s worth noting that expressive eyes may serve a specific transitional function in the early stages of deploying service robots. For many people, especially in public spaces such as airports, malls, or hospitals, encountering an autonomous robot for the first time can provoke uncertainty, or even fear. Large, moving machines with no human operator challenge our expectations of what machines should do.
In this context, large, friendly “eyes” act as a visual bridge. They soften the unfamiliar and signal benign intent. They make robots seem “knowable.” In many ways, they lower the psychological threshold for interaction, particularly during the initial wave of robot adoption in service environments.
However, it remains to be seen whether these eyes will persist. As people become more accustomed to robotic co-workers and autonomous machines, the novelty wears off. Future robots, especially in high-traffic environments like major retailers or logistics centers, might no longer require these visual reassurances. For example, large-scale deployments by revenue-heavy players (such as Gausium Phantas) may forgo expressive design entirely, relying instead on cultural familiarity and functional trust.
Where Are the Eyes at Home?
Interestingly, this kind of friendly robot “face” is rarely seen in consumer-grade home robots. Most vacuum or service robots designed for private households come without any expressive facial elements, let alone animated eyes. Why? One likely reason is cost: high-resolution displays or sophisticated visual effects significantly increase the manufacturing price. Consumer robots are typically sold at price-sensitive segments and are expected to deliver maximum performance at minimal cost. The result: form follows function, and cuteness is often left out.
In that sense, the absence of expressive “eyes” in home robots may not reflect a different design philosophy, but simply a budget constraint. If displays were cheaper, we might very well see more domestic robots blinking at us from beneath the coffee table.
Psychological and Evolutionary Underpinnings
Research supports the idea that even abstract robot eyes can trigger human social mechanisms like joint attention and trust. Studies show that paired, simplified eye-like elements improve human–robot interaction by subtly shifting human attention and projecting intentionality, even without real vision capability.
Cultural Contrast: Kawaii vs. Function
In East Asian design traditions, especially in Japan and increasingly in China, robots are often designed to evoke warmth and cuteness. This softens their presence in public spaces and helps them integrate into daily life. The emphasis on emotional intelligence and non-threatening presence aligns with broader societal attitudes toward automation as potentially social companions.
In contrast, European and North American robotics typically emphasize precision, control, and professional neutrality. In these contexts, a robot’s appearance is expected to reflect competence, not character. This divergence illustrates deeper cultural values: one where robots are seen as social partners, and another where they are tools, efficient, capable, and emotionally neutral.
Which manufacturers rely (partly) on eyes?
| Country | Eyes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Adlatus | Germany | ||
| AotingBots | China | ||
| Avidbots | Canada | ||
| Cleanfix | Switzerland | ||
| Gausium | China | ||
| i-team | Netherlands | ||
| Kärcher | Germany | ||
| Keenon | China | ||
| Lionsbot | Singapore | ||
| Nexaro | Germany | ||
| Nilfisk | Danmark | ||
| Pudu | China | ||
| Tennant | USA | ||
| Zaco | China |