Japanese Scientists Unveil Thinking, Learning Robot

[PissOffRoth]

"Please, Blue Fairy. Make me a real boy."

 

[PissOffRoth]

I dunno, DARPA in Boston made a pretty kick-ass robot. It's also creepy in how "alive" it looks, it almost behaves like a living quadruped.

This kicks ASIMO's ass. It reminds me of all the machines from MGS4.

 

[Farther than stars]

--snip--

My apologies for having a bit of fun with a post....?

I even smiled as I was typing it, of all the nerve eh?

Oh come now, no need to apologize. Sarcasm is misunderstood all the time online, since it is of course by nature ambiguous about a certain message. And since the internet is void of emotional feedback through tone and facial expression, the line between sarcasm, dark humour and sincerity can even be nonexistent at times.

 

[Bryshard Jackson]

Okay...not to throw a wrench in anything and WOW this really is a nice advancement for 'learning' Buuut....
Is "I can't do x, so I will do y" really that large a leap?
Understand, I've had my hands in psychology, ethics, and robotics before, and I know the limitations of programing, but isn't the concept of thinking slightly more complex than that?
Brains not only operate on past experiences, but emotional links to past acts as well...how does this robot recall what it needs to do? My own brain is frying thinking "what mental process went into 'Put water in cup'" and for it to realize that ice is needed to make water cold, the amount of processing power needed is a stagering amount when you think about it.
I'm going to talk myself into a hole with the amount of questions I want to raise, and don't think there's nearly enough time or space for me to ask them all but I'm really curious about the robot's 'thinking process'
How does it know an act even needs to be done?!
AHHH! I need to stop typing now or im not gonna stop!

EDIT: About that
'staggering amount' bit: I might be thinking that because I know the amount of accumulated information that my squishy human brain would have to sift through. Maybe that's why I'm not full on board impressed with this robot thinking on the level of an inept 2 year old with blocks. But then again...maybe I should be?

 

[Use_Imagination_here]

Think that's impressive?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNKLuXUh3M4&feature=related

That is a robot telling a man he "loves" he is afraid of leaving for another country. The future's knocking on the door.

To be honest I think a robot actually learning something is more impressive. Sure, the mere mimicry of human expression like the Hanson robots do will have them pass the Turing Test, but it doesn't mean the robots are actually feeling for themselves.
I know you're not implying any different, but you're wording makes me feel the need to reiterate that this robot has been told to say that he is afraid by extracting information from humanly-compiled database, not because he's drawing a conclusion from a neurological response.

No, that robot hasn't been told to do ANYTHING since it was created. Everything it said in that video it said because of interaction with his creator and learning.

Exactly, but it's from learning from other social interactions, that it was able to take part in this one. The interesting thing about the Hanson robots is their advanced asthetics, which are capable of evoking emotions in other humans, but as long as they aren't feeling for themselves, I still prefere a robot to be able to pick up a cup.
You see, learning in the form that the Hanson robots do is basically just moving about 1s and 0s and then using mikes to deliver the product of the computed data. But I'm sure you can see how a robot which uses critical thinking to affect its surrounding 3D enviroment could be the start of something very useful, mechanically speaking.

Useful does not equal awesome.

But yeah I do see your point. But this isn't exactly new. IS still want a talking robot dog.

 

[k-ossuburb]

I dunno, DARPA in Boston made a pretty kick-ass robot. It's also creepy in how "alive" it looks, it almost behaves like a living quadruped.

This kicks ASIMO's ass. It reminds me of all the machines from MGS4.

And just think, if The Empire had that kind of technology none of their AT-ATs would've been tripped over on Hoth by a bunch of flipping tow-cables. >:[

DAMN YOU REBEL SCUM!

 

[The_Graff]

how long before the charming people at realdoll get ahold of this?

 

[Manoose47]

so if we were to follow this technology through its natural progression, would we not end up with robots fully capable of replacing hundreds of thousands of human workers, putting even more people out of work?

not much point of having a fancy robot bartender if no one can afford to come to buy drinks!

and so the great robo-depression of 2050 began!

 

[Amgeo]

Joking aside, this is actually really interesting. The idea of a learning robot is really fascinating to me.

 

[Farther than stars]

Think that's impressive?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNKLuXUh3M4&feature=related

That is a robot telling a man he "loves" he is afraid of leaving for another country. The future's knocking on the door.

To be honest I think a robot actually learning something is more impressive. Sure, the mere mimicry of human expression like the Hanson robots do will have them pass the Turing Test, but it doesn't mean the robots are actually feeling for themselves.
I know you're not implying any different, but you're wording makes me feel the need to reiterate that this robot has been told to say that he is afraid by extracting information from humanly-compiled database, not because he's drawing a conclusion from a neurological response.

No, that robot hasn't been told to do ANYTHING since it was created. Everything it said in that video it said because of interaction with his creator and learning.

Exactly, but it's from learning from other social interactions, that it was able to take part in this one. The interesting thing about the Hanson robots is their advanced asthetics, which are capable of evoking emotions in other humans, but as long as they aren't feeling for themselves, I still prefere a robot to be able to pick up a cup.
You see, learning in the form that the Hanson robots do is basically just moving about 1s and 0s and then using mikes to deliver the product of the computed data. But I'm sure you can see how a robot which uses critical thinking to affect its surrounding 3D enviroment could be the start of something very useful, mechanically speaking.

Useful does not equal awesome.

But yeah I do see your point. But this isn't exactly new. IS still want a talking robot dog.

Haha! Fair enough. And basically the Hanson robots will cater for that, because even if they don't feel a neurological response themselves, empathy allows us to make it look like they do. So for all intents and purposes, while interacting with them they might as well be human. That's basically what video games try to do as well you know? Creating emotional involvement with their characters.
But when I look at research like this I always immidiately think of how it can enrich our lives. Just imagine, having a robot which can do the cooking for you... and then stack away the dishes afterwards!

 

[similar.squirrel]

You know, for a demographic that's by-and-large useless at interacting with other human beings, nerds sure seem to like the idea that AI will be hostile cannon-fodder.
That, or endlessly vomiting tired sci-fi tropes is still lulz.

This is bloody amazing, and I take my hat off to the people who made it possible. Luddites can go and eff themselves.