A planar touch sensor (capacitance sensor) for detecting contact of a user on a body surface is installed in a robot. Comfort/discomfort is determined according to the contact location and contact intensity on the touch sensor. The behavior characteristics of the robot change according to the determination result. The degree of intimacy with the contacted user changes according to the comfort/discomfort. The robot has a curved shape and a soft body.
Autonmous-behavior-type robot that understands emotional communication through physical contact