To determine the effect of robotic embodiment on human-robot interaction, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity during the observation of emotionally positive or neutral actions performed by bipedal or wheel-drive humanoid robots. fMRI data from 30 participants were analyzed in the study. The results revealed that bipedal humanoid robot performing emotionally positive actions induced the activation of the left orbitofrontal cortex, which is associated with emotional empathy, whereas wheel-drive humanoid robot performing the same actions elicited a lesser response. These results demonstrate that humans more readily empathize with a bipedal humanoid robot based on the ability to simulate human-like body movements.
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