Humanoid robots are one of the main attractions at VivaTech this year. They dance, they walk around, they perform acrobatics—and sometimes, they even seem to think.

At the heart of this trend is HABS, often described as the French equivalent of Neuralink, which is once again pushing the boundaries of human-machine interaction at the 10th edition of the Paris event.

After making waves last year with its macarons capable of measuring, in real time, the emotions triggered during tasting (joy, trust, satisfaction, and more), the French deeptech company—which decodes brainwaves to detect emotions in real time—has returned with another surprising demonstration.

For the occasion, HABS partnered with Innov8, the European distributor of humanoid robots developed by Chinese manufacturer Unitree.

Three Cards, Three Different Thoughts: Can the Robot Identify the Right One?

The two companies have created an experience in which visitors to the HABS booth wear a headband equipped with sensors that analyze their brain activity. The goal is to enable a Unitree robot to determine what they are thinking about.

Rest assured: the machine is not going to uncover your deepest memories like a Dementor from Harry Potter. Instead, it is tasked with identifying which of three predefined options occupies your mind.

Before starting, participants go through a short calibration phase—a one-minute training session that allows the headband to establish the “decoding keys” for each individual brain.

They are then asked to draw one of three cards:

  • The first card represents a person they love.
  • The second represents a song they enjoy.
  • The third involves a simple mathematical calculation.

Once the experiment begins, participants select a card, close their eyes, and focus intensely on the corresponding subject.

Within a matter of seconds, the robot must determine which thought the participant is concentrating on. If successful, it raises its arm and points to the correct card placed in front of it.

Naturally, we had to try the experiment ourselves—and it worked.

We were thinking about a Dua Lipa song, and the Unitree robot successfully identified it.

We'll let you guess which one.

“Showing the Intelligence of Robots”

This slightly unsettling experience is designed to showcase the potential of brain-computer interfaces without venturing into the realm of invasive implants that often fuel public concerns—such as Elon Musk’s much-discussed Neuralink chip.

“Last year, we demonstrated how stable robots were through balance exercises. People were fascinated by the hardware capabilities of these machines,” explains Stéphane Bohbot, CEO of Innov8 Group.

“This year, we wanted to demonstrate the intelligence of these robots through their ability to reason. The idea is to show that we are entering the first phase of robotic intelligence.”

He adds:

“It’s an opportunity to highlight how machines can understand emotions. Ultimately, we are showing the robot’s humanity.”

Bringing Brain-Computer Interfaces to the Public

With this telepathy-inspired experience, Olivier Locufier, founder and CEO of HABS, hopes once again to surprise visitors.

Judging by the reactions of onlookers during our demonstration, the company appears to have succeeded.

“Some people might think this is science fiction, but it’s very real!” jokes the Brittany-born entrepreneur, who sold his encryption startup Xelios to Sagem in 2004.

“HABS is positioning itself as one of the key building blocks for robotics and World Models.”

World Models have become one of the most talked-about concepts in AI research. The term refers to systems capable of simulating the physical world around them in order to predict the consequences of their actions and, ultimately, make autonomous decisions.

AMI Labs, the startup launched by Yann LeCun, is notably focused on developing these next-generation AI systems.

Robots in Every Home Within a Decade?

For Stéphane Bohbot, the future is clear: humanoid robots will soon become part of everyday life across France and Europe.

“Humanoid robotics will enter people’s homes within the next ten years,” he predicts.

“The experience we are presenting today at VivaTech offers a glimpse of the way humans and robots will eventually coexist.”

And, staying true to the playful spirit of the demonstration, he concludes with a smile:

“Maybe next year, the robot will eat a macaron!”