Scientists in Japan have created a robot that can feel pain. I’m a big believer in people empathizing with others, but robots empathizing with humans may bring up some questions. I suppose this brings up the whole ‘uncanny valley’ situation but almost to a whole ‘nother level. Robots who look realistic may be uncanny but if they can emote like humans, this questions not if robots can feel (they can’t I don’t think), but how much humans can feel for inanimate objects especially if they have emotions. This robot is supposed to be a compassionate companion but is it wrong to feel for a robot? Does this count as being materialistic? Watching movies and reading stories makes it easy to see that feeling empathy for a robot is quite easy if they are humanoids, but how does this affect the human brain? At what point does sympathy for inanimate objects become unhealthy? This robot is still being tested but time will only tell if it will be more harmful than helpful or vice versa. 

Linking sense of touch to facial movement inches robots toward ‘feeling’ pain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UGkk3oturM