An important element of human communications is body language: it helps detect if a person is annoyed, tired, or pleased. Researchers from Switzerland and South Africa have designed a visual interface that would give autonomous machines the equivalent of such nonverbal indications, telling us if a robot is processing data, awaiting instruction or in need of repair.

The interface represents a machine’s internal state in a way that makes it possible for observers to interpret the machine’s behaviour.

Source: Technology Review.