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Robot Receptionist with an Attitude

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the bringing-you-more-hecklers dept.

techno-vampire writes "Carnegie Mellon University is experimenting with a robot receptionist with a personality. The article on NPR tells about the receptionist, named Tank. Tank lives in a computer, with a Frankenstein-like face showing on the monitor. He responds to typed-in questions, including personal ones, with a rather curious personality courtesy of the Drama Department. Among other things, he doesn't seem to like his boss, Dr. Reid Simmons, very much. If asked, Tank will tell you he's also worked at NASA, and failed as a satellite robot. A job at the CIA was also a bust. Dr. Simmons explains that they're trying to make it easier for people to interact with robots, and upgrades are planned."

3 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. Great! by jacobcaz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Our receptionist is already surly and a bit gruff, we can replace her with "Tank" and dramatically increase our gruffness-to-customer ratio! We'll also be able to irritate our customers 24x7 instead of the normal 8x5 we currently get out of our receptionist!

  2. now with... by PoPRawkZ · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now with genuine people personality! I'm so depressed.

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    peace,
    -Grokent
  3. Speech synth still lacking by AndroidCat · · Score: 5, Interesting
    If you RTFA, there's a link "Listen" with audio of the NPR piece. I'm surprised that they're using a speech synth that sounds like it's at least ten years behind the times, as? well? as? sounding? like? every? word? is? a? kvestion?? The Lernout & Hauspie TruVoice engine that MS gives away with SAPI4/Agent is arguably better, and that's 1998 tech from a dead company. (L&H, not MS.)

    A good speech synth would add a lot to Tank's personality. (On the other hand, I have 1980s tech card that would sound awful but very robo-retro.)

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    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.