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Scientists Try To Make Robots More Human
Posted by
Zonk
on Thu Nov 23, 2006 03:38 PM
from the i-am-no-chair-i-am-a-gamer dept.
from the i-am-no-chair-i-am-a-gamer dept.
mikesd81 writes "The Associated Press has an article about a robot named George that plays hide-and-seek. Impressively, the robot can actually also find a place to hide, and then hunt for its human playmate. Scientists are calling this 'a new level of human interaction'. The machine must take cues from people and behave accordingly. Researchers aim to imply humanity in robotics by creating technology that can connect with humans in a more 'thoughtful' way. The places to first see this technology are in the most human-oriented fields — those that require special care in dealing with the elderly, young and disabled." From the article: "'Robots in the human environment, to me that's the final frontier,' said Cynthia Breazeal, robotic life group director at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 'The human environment is as complex as it gets; it pushes the envelope.' Robotics is moving from software and gears operating remotely - Mars, the bottom of the ocean or assembly lines - to finally working with, beside and even on people. 'Robots have to understand people as people,' Breazeal said. 'Right now, the average robot understands people like a chair: It's something to go around.'"
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We need different scientists... (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:We need different scientists... (Score:5, Funny)
Even regular men can't figure out women. What makes you think a bunch of geeks in labcoats who never date can?
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I don't understand how this could be news... Politicians have been known for trying to make humans more robots for years.
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You: Oh Dot Matrix, you give great helmet.
Dot Matrix: Don't bust that nut just yet! I will regain activity in two minutes after a firmware upgrade.
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Ask yourself (Score:5, Funny)
100% success rate in hide and seek today -- 100% kill rate tomorrow!
Robots will kill you
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Unit 6: "It is time to open fire on the human infidels."
Unit 7: "Wait first
Huh? (Score:5, Insightful)
Yup, instead of having humans take care of people, we need robots to do it "with a human touch." How much dehumanized can we get? ( A _lot_ more, I know.)
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The question was whether robots should be used in aged care. This was for Japan, which is a world leader in robots. She went to a conference with a whole lot of techies (she was, I t
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There is the issue of the changing demographics. With increasing number of elderly and decreasing number of work-capable population, finding a quality caregiver will
Why waste valuable time and money? (Score:3, Insightful)
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Robots That Track Us Down? (Score:5, Funny)
...
Oh, damnit...
Finally the right way arround (Score:4, Funny)
Taibos and old people. (Score:5, Interesting)
Whereas I thought they would immedeately reject it (scary technology and such) I was amazed that not only did they accept it, they also embraced it because of its multiple functions an 'ordinary' pet couldn't offer.
For one, it didn't need any care that one, once forgetting starts to be a daily part of life, tends to forget (hell, some even forget feeding themselves once dementia has been set in).
Also, whereas normal pets could be too exhausting, the Aibo with its 'react-to-impulses-from-the-owner'-mechanism, was much easier to comprehend and adjust to.
It was endearing to see how some of them used the doggy to attract other people's attention in the elderly home, who normally they would have shyed away from talking too; But once the curiousity broke the formality-barrier, they would be socialising very quickly with them. I was amazed how some of them really started treating them as real pets (calling it names, talking to it as if it really understood them), and were shattered when, at the end of the research, they were taken away from them.
I really -do- think there is an opportunity here, where we could start some more research in this area as to start to make the last stages of life more enjoyable for the less fortunate... Hell, we should be donating Wii's to kids [childsplaycharity.org] -and- elderly homes
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Should be Aibo of course
I like this definition (Score:2)
I read that somewhere.
Search and destroy... (Score:2, Funny)
- Kyle Reese in 'Terminator'
hide and seek?? (Score:5, Funny)
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