Robots Replace Teachers–Say it Ain’t So!

Don’t worry too much yet. This article is talking about robots to teach English in Korea–not all classes. It’s a peek into the future of an already beleaguered industry. America is reamed constantly by international and national academicians for our inability to compete globally on knowledge tests. (Here’re my reasons for not stressing over our dismal showing). I don’t know if blaming robots would be any better. 

Meet Kojiro, Your Next Assistant

I’m fascinated by robots. It’s not my field, but it’s where the human race is headed. For better or for worse, only time will tell.

What Japan is doing in robotics blows me away. I posted recently about Aiko. Now, meet Kojiro. This android’s movements are based on a skeletal structure similar to ours, which means he moves in a more natural fashion, and bends and twists via his artificial spine.

HAL Has a Body

It is well-known that military research has created a myriad of everyday products (like Velcro) that have filtered onto our store shelves. Here’s the next: PETMAN. For this robot to perform its chemical protection tests correctly for the Army, it must balance itself, walk, crawl, all while exposed to chemical warfare agents. The robot will have the shape and size of a standard human, making it the first anthropomorphic robot that moves dynamically like a real person.The development program has a 13 month design phase, with delivery scheduled for 2011.

For more information, read Wired’s Army Terminators Walk Like Men.

For a different kind of futuristic soldier, read Soldier of the Future is a Hologram.

She Looks Human, but is She Sentient?

If you were wondering when robots would become sentient, we’re one day closer with Aiko. She can be used in the home, to help kids with their math, help the elderly read newspapers, check the weather, distinguish between different medicines etc. In the office at an information desk, to alert meeting times, give directions such as food court, washroom, elevators. She performs security functions well–she can
detect 250 faces per second and do a quick filter of known faces at the airport, answer arrival/departure time questions or give locations to certain gates and answer other queries etc. You can follow her on Twitter Click Here and here her singing here (Aiko Singing Video Click Here).

Who is this dream assistant? Watch YouTube:

More? Read on…

Inventor Demonstrates Humanoid Robot’s Latest AI Abilities (w/ Video)

(PhysOrg.com) — In August 2007, Le Trung invented Aiko, a Yumecom, or “Dream Computer Robot.” Although it took only a month and a half to build Aiko’s exterior, the artificial intelligence software has been a work in progress ever since. Recently, Le Trung has demonstrated his most recent improvements to the software, called BRAINS (Bio Robot Artificial Intelligence Neural System).

In the video below, Le Trung demonstrates Aiko’s internal operating system, which gives the robot many abilities, including the ability to speak two languages (English and Japanese), solve high school math problems, communicate the weather forecast, understand more than 13,000 sentences, sing songs, identify objects, focus on objects or people of importance, read newspapers and other materials, and mimic human physical touch.

As Le Trung explains, in some ways the BRAINS software is even more powerful than a human brain because it can link to infinite sources of data. Similar to a human brain, the software is designed to interact with the surrounding environment, process it, and record the information in its internal memory. Once the internal memory is at full capacity, the information can be transferred into a server database. The information can then be shared with current and future robots.

With the BRAINS software, Aiko (whose name means “beloved one”) has the potential for many applications. For example, in the home, Aiko could help elderly people by reminding them when to take their medicine and helping them read the newspaper. It could also help kids with their math homework. In work and public environments, the robot could be used at information desks, where it could give directions and inform people when and where events take place. Le Trung also suggests that, with Aiko’s ability to detect 250 faces per second, it could be useful in airports to quickly scan and filter faces, as well as answer questions regarding flight times and gate locations. In addition, Aiko’s sensitivity sensors and humanlike appearance offer the potential for its use as a companion robot.

“The most recent improvement with Aiko is the BRAINS software,” Le Trung said. “I have just finished re-architecting the BRAINS software to have triple threads, which will make the software run a bit smoother and process about 15% faster for 3D recognition. As a result, Aiko can distinguish the difference between a $20 Canadian bill and $20 American bill. Aiko also has new improved facial expressions with 21 recognition points. Aiko will know when you are angry, happy, etc. Finally, the BRAINS can now process newspaper reading much faster and more accurate.”

Le Trung, whose background is in microbiology and chemistry, was originally inspired to build Aiko after watching “Chobits,” a Japanese manga that explores the relationships between humans and personal computers. While he hopes to continue to improve Aiko’s software, he currently faces a hardware limitation, as the CPU is currently at 99% capacity. Le Trung hopes to raise funds to upgrade the CPU.

In the future, Le Trung hopes to enable Aiko to achieve further skills, such as making tea, coffee, and a breakfast of eggs and bacon; cleaning a human’s ears with a Q-tip; giving a neck massage; writing; and cleaning windows, shelves, and bathrooms. He also hopes that, one day, he will be able to mass produce sister copies of Aiko for an estimated cost of about $17,000 – $20,000.

“Future improvements include making the voice with more emotions and feelings when speaking, improving the silicone material on her face so that she can do facial expressions like humans, and redesigning the body and arm system to move more naturally and carry heavier things,” Le Trung said.