HUN-REN-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group
Synthetic Ethology and Ethorobotics: How does animal behavior inspire the robots of the future?
Group leader: Ádám Miklósi, academician, university professor
Contact: adam.miklos[at]ttk.elte.hu
For a long time, animal behavior has fascinated scientists—not only for observation but also as a blueprint for building functional robots. Synthetic ethology and ethorobotics combine behavioral science, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence to understand social communication and apply these insights to robotic development.
Over the past decades, ethology has evolved significantly. Behavioral research is no longer just about describing animal actions; it now seeks a deeper understanding of neurophysiological, genetic, and cognitive processes. A new interdisciplinary field, ethorobotics, merges behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and robotics to explore the behavior of both living organisms and artificial agents.
This approach not only expands scientific knowledge but also enables practical applications—such as the development of social robots that can interact with humans in more natural and intuitive ways.
Ethorobotics
Synthetic Ethology: Simulating the Behavior of Living Organisms
Traditionally, ethology has relied on descriptive cognitive models, which are difficult to test experimentally. Synthetic ethology (SE) aims to overcome this challenge by using a data-driven approach. The goal of SE is to derive general behavioral rules based on observed behavior and brain activity. These rules not only help model animal behavior but also contribute to training artificial intelligence systems. The concept is similar to synthetic biology, which focuses on designing molecular systems—except here, the focus is on animal and human behavior.
Ethorobotics: The Next Generation of Social Robots
Complementing synthetic ethology, ethorobotics focuses on the design of autonomous robots. These robots are capable of interacting socially, functioning in groups with other robots or living beings, and even performing cooperative tasks. The goal is to develop technologies that can adapt to human environments, making them suitable for interacting with both animals and humans.
Our research group has organized the first-ever Hungarian Dog and Quadruped Robot Agility Competition!
Biscee – Our Research Group’s Custom-Developed Robot
Our research group has developed a unique waiter assistant robot, Biscee. Beyond serving as a waiter and hostess, Biscee is currently gaining new experiences and expanding its functionalities in elderly care homes. This innovative project aims to enhance human-robot interaction and explore new applications in assistive robotics.
Book about ethorobotics
How animal behaviour research is helping to shape the social robots of the future
Ádám Miklósi and Judit Abdai have compiled a groundbreaking book on how the study of animal behavior is shaping the future of social robots.
In a groundbreaking exploration of the synergy between robotics and the study of animal behavior, the new book "An Introduction to Ethorobotics" offers readers a unique lens through which to understand the complexities of both fields and the interesting intersection of them.
Have you ever wondered what a social robot would look like? Like in the movie Bicentennial Man or Wall-e or any other film about robots? Like many things in science-fiction literature, it starts out as a fantasy but sooner or later it becomes reality.
Ethorobotics, a young scientific field founded by Hungarian researcher, Adam Miklosi is about to find out how a robot can become socially part of our life. It may seem like a daunting idea at first, but in reality there are many practical benefits to be gained, for example, in nursing homes where staff are overworked, companion robots could be very useful.
The very first book on this topic by Adam Miklosi and Judit Abdai (editors) is out now at Taylor and Francis.
Key Features of the Book Include:
Interdisciplinary Approach: This pioneering text explores the emerging discipline of ethorobotics which brings together the fields of animal behaviour and robotics. It encourages closer collaboration between behavioural scientists and engineers to facilitate the creation of robots with a higher degree of functionality in animal/human environments and to broaden understanding of animal behaviour in new and intriguing ways.
Structural thinking: Utilising the knowledge of key ethologists and roboticists in the field today, this book is divided into four major parts.
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The first part is written for those with little or no background in the biology of animal behaviour, particularly for those coming from an engineering background seeking an accessible introduction to the field and how it can be applied to robotic behaviour. Topics include physical and social problem solving in animals, facets of sociality and communication.
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The second part explores the core theme of ethorobotics, the basic framework of the discipline, the field’s evolution, and current topics including ethical considerations, autonomy, to ‘living’ social robots.
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The third part is an introduction to the basic construction of robots for non‑engineers, and the possibilities offered by current technical achievements and their limitations to the study of animal behaviour.
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The fourth and final chapter looks at ethorobotics in practice through key research projects which have had the biggest impact.
This is a ground‑breaking interdisciplinary text which will appeal to upper‑level undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers focusing on animal behaviour and cognition, as well as those undertaking courses in engineering, social robotics, biologically inspired robotics, AI, and human–robot and animal–robot interactions.
The book is available for purchase at major retailers and online platforms. Click here to reach a preview of the book.
More information:
- ISBN 9781032023335
- 516 Pages 115 B/W Illustrations
- September 27, 2024 by Routledge
- Cover is made by Alexandra Iván and the publisher
Join our research!
Looking for Preschool-Aged Children for Our New Robot Study!
We are inviting preschool-aged children (ages 3-6) to participate in a new robot interaction study at the Department of Ethology! We are specifically looking for kids who regularly visit restaurants, cafés, shopping malls, or workplaces (at least 1-2 times per month).
Our goal is to understand how young children react to robots. During the study, each child will interact with either a dog, a robot, or a human—and they will meet at least two of these!
Why participate?
- The session takes only 30 minutes
- A fun and exciting experience for kids!
- Contributes to important scientific research on human-robot interaction
One of our robots is currently being tested in elderly care homes, where it has already shown great success! This research could lead to useful real-world applications, and by participating, you’ll be part of this exciting journey.
Important:
Please do not tell your child in advance who they will meet—this is crucial for the study!
Sign up here: robotosetologiateszt[at]gmail.com
Thank you for participating and for sharing this opportunity with others! We look forward to seeing you!
Our Services – Let’s Work Together!
Merging Ethology and Engineering for Smarter Social Robots
We combine ethological and engineering expertise to develop effective social robots that can seamlessly operate in real-world environments—from restaurants to elderly care homes.
Our robots are designed for practical applications, featuring measurable functions and friendly behavior, ensuring they interact naturally and efficiently in human-centered spaces.
Interested in collaboration? Contact us at adam.miklosi[at]ttk.elte.hu.
Advancing social robotics—one innovation at a time!
Our partners
- Infuze Robotics Hungary
- Bastion Group
- Újbudai Idősek Háza (Old People's Home of Újbuda)
Our team
Research Group Leaders:
- Ádám Miklósi
- Márta Gácsi
Research Group Members:
- Melitta Csepregi
- Csenge Hubay
- Beáta Korcsok
- Tímea Kovács
- Sára Roszik
- Raena Shaikh
- Andrea Temesi
- Balázs Nagy
- Alexa Tóth
Our Publications
The complete list of publications by the research group and the department
Selected Publications
- Korcsok, B., Faragó, T., Ferdinandy, B. et al. Artificial sounds following biological rules: A novel approach for non-verbal communication in HRI. Sci Rep 10, 7080 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63504-8