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The human face is the main organ of expression, capable of transmitting emotions that are almost instantly recognised by fellow beings. In this paper, we describe the development of a lifelike facial display based on the principles of biomimetic engineering. A number of paradigms that can be used for developing believable emotional displays, borrowing from elements of anthropomorphic mechanics and control, and materials science, are outlined. These are used to lay down the technological and philosophical premises necessary to construct a man-machine interface for expressing emotions through a biomimetic mechanical head. Applications in therapy to enhance social skills and understanding emotion in people with autism are discussed.