WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Friendly robots, the ones people love to love, are quirky: R2-D2, C-3PO, WALL-E, BB-8, Marvin, Roz and Baymax. They’re emotional, prone to panic or bossy, empathetic and able to ...

Robots are everywhere in our imaginations—helping older adults at home, stocking warehouses, cleaning offices, and taking on dangerous jobs that ...