A robot called Ameca, which looks and acts like a human, met people for the first time at a festival in Cornwall, BBC News reports. The event, called “Ameca: A Robot’s Journey to Creation,” sold out fast.

People had mixed feelings about Ameca. Some said its wide range of facial expressions left them “gobsmacked.” Others felt uneasy, calling it “disconcerting,” which means unsettling.

A company called Engineered Arts made Ameca.

Engineered Arts CEO Will Jackson said that Ameca stands out because of its lifelike expressions and hand movements. His team worked hard to make the robot good at communicating. Jackson explained that the human face can share lots of information quickly. A small nod or raised eyebrow can say so much without words. He wants Ameca to talk to people in a natural, human way.

Humanoid robots are gaining attention fast

Jackson also said they designed Ameca to look human-like but not too real. If a robot looks almost exactly like a person, it can feel strange or creepy to some. This happens when the line between robot and human gets blurry. Ameca uses artificial intelligence (AI). The robot’s purpose is to help develop AI by interacting with people. One woman at the festival found Ameca’s moving facial muscles and human-like hands a bit odd. A man, though, called it “amazing” and felt proud it came from Cornwall.

Ameca’s design mixes technology and human traits to create something new. Its gestures and expressions make it special among other robots. The festival gave people a chance to see this blend of science and creativity in action. For some, it was a thrilling surprise. For others, it felt a little too close to real life.

This follows other recent news about humanoid robots, which are gaining attention fast. Another humanoid robot called NEO Gamma, designed and engineered by 1X Technologies and showcased in a video, shows a new design and improvements across hardware and AI.