Researchers in Germany say the touch of a humanoid robot makes people happier and more likely to follow their requests. Instead of being reliant on other humans, researchers are hoping that one day robots may be able to fulfill the roles of therapists, personal trainers, and even life coaches. In this research, 48 students engaged in a counselling conversation with the humanoid robot NAO – a programmable research robot often used for education and research purposes. During the course of the conversation, for some participants, the robot briefly and seemingly spontaneously patted the back of the participant’s hand. This differed...