A Robot Has Figured Out How To Use Tools

In a startling demonstration, the machine drew on experimentation, data, and observation of humans to learn how simple implements could help it achieve a task. From a report: Learning to use tools played a crucial role in the evolution of human intelligence. It may yet prove vital to the emergence of smarter, more capable robots, too. New research shows that robots can figure out at least the rudiments of tool use, through a combination of experimenting and observing people. Chelsea Finn, a researcher at Google Brain, and Sergey Levine, an assistant professor at UC Berkeley, developed the robotic system together with several of Levine's students. The setup consists of an off-the-shelf robot arm that can be controlled by a person or a computer. It also includes a camera that sees the environment within reach of the arm -- and, most important, a computer running a very large neural network that lets the robot learn.

The robot worked out how to make use of simple implements, including a dustpan and broom and a duster, to move other objects around. The work hints at how robots might someday learn to perform sophisticated manipulations, and solve abstract problems, for themselves. "It's exciting because it means the robot can figure out what to do with a tool in situations it hasn't seen before," Finn says. "We really want to study that sort of generality, rather than a robot learning to use one tool."

Great! The robot beat my wife!

[Oswald McWeany]

Great, a robot figured out how to use a broom and clean up after itself and my wife still hasn't figured that out yet.

Re:

[TeknoHog]

It's funny because jokes like this make you look like an idiot for marrying her.

Re:

[Rick Schumann]

We can already build telepresence robots that could be used to go into burning buildings and save people, no shitty half-assed 'AI' necessary.

Re: Not a great use of AI

[Anonymous Coward]

It isn't capable of those things, it isn't 'AI'. It isn't capable of this, either, the headline is a misnomer. It didn't 'figure it out',
  it was working within the parameters of its programming, and it sure as poop isn't conscious in any way shape or form of what code is being executed.

Re:

[Rick Schumann]

You can't 'teach' the shitty half-assed excuse for 'AI' to do any of those things because it has no capacity to THINK and never will using the current approach. We don't even know how *we* 'think' so how does anyone expect these ridiculous excuses for 'intelligence' to do it?

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[timeOday]

That is not much of an argument. People do long division by means we don't understand (which certainly involves thinking), but we can make machines that are very good at it.

I think when all is said and done and we have machines that can do what people do, most of the algorithms for learning to do those things will be disappointingly simple.

Yawn

[marquis111]

Let me know when a robot with a defective positronic brain can carve wood with a butter knife of its own volition.

Re:

[Zaiff Urgulbunger]

It doesn't let you connect in Incognito/Private Mode *AND* it won't allow archive.org to cache stories off it. This should NOT be on slashdot since it may not be there in the future for historical reference. Fuck urls that aren't mirrored!

^ This.
It is at least viewable in Firefox private browsing mode, but no-go with Chrome incognito.

A meta tool, then?

[Hognoxious]

In Soviet Russia, tool uses robot!

Great

[bmimatt]

It won't be Skynet, It'll be hordes of robots armed with vacuums, drills and hammers that'll destroy the civilization

Re:

[Krishnoid]

You're probably right [youtube.com]. Welcome to the beginning of a new age.

Thank god

[Hentai007]

Hurry up and enslave us or kill us all already.

Re:

[Hentai007]

your mom.

Re:

[Rick Schumann]

Because that would be ONE robot with MANY appendages, not MANY robots.
I think perhaps you're just another iteration of the shitty, half-assed excuse for 'AI' they keep trotting out, because your comment exhibits a distinct lack of actual cognition.

baby steps...

[Anonymous Coward]

...a dustpan, a broom, a duster, a particle weapon...

A Robot Has Figured Out How To Use Tools

[The Grim Reefer]

I suppose you could call it that. By the title I was expecting to see it pick up a ratchet and tighten/loosen a bolt or something. And since it's about AI it would have been better if it started grabbing random parts to assemble another arm/hand. Looking at the video, I could say my dog uses tools as well. Sometimes when it wants my attention it will grab a rope bone or other toy, flail it around and hit me with it to get my attention. I don't think we define dogs as tool users though.

Re:

[TeknoHog]

I don't think we define dogs as tool users though.

Some dogs seem to be smarter than their owners, they can exploit the human to a great extent. I think that counts as a "tool" user.

Nice

[nospam007]

Crows use tools and they have a cherry-sized brain. Even ants cut leaves and transport them to their nest, so we still have a few steps ahead of us.

Soon ...

[PPH]

... to be added to the Harbor Freight catalog mailing list.

Yes, it learned to use tools...

[LordHighExecutioner]

...but it used the tools to disassemble itself!

Why computers will never become conscious

[GillBates0]

https://medium.com/@subhashkak... [medium.com]