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Robots Learn To Follow

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the no-sinking-ships-available dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Three years after the development of robots that act like rats, UC Davis engineers have designed a control system for robots allowing them to pick up on cues that the leader is about to turn, predict where it is going and follow it. This system mimics the human ability to capture signals — consciously or not — from drivers on the road or people walking in the streets to predict what they're about to do. As the team leader said, 'Robots that are better at following could be easier for people to work with.' With this system, a hospital robot could follow doctors during their rounds."

11 of 61 comments (clear)

  1. Sign me up! by stormguard2099 · · Score: 4, Funny

    i wanna be the first kid on the block with Stalkerbot 5000!

    --
    http://greenobyl.com/ please.... think of the children!!
    1. Re:Sign me up! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah. And for version 2, it repeats everything you say.

  2. Overlords by hack++slash · · Score: 5, Funny

    I for one welcome ou....hey stop following me!

    --
    To do something right, you often have to roll up your sleeves and get busy.
  3. I, for one... by Lt.Hawkins · · Score: 4, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new robot followers...

    --
    -- My Sig is a P228.
  4. Oh no! by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    With this system, an hospital robot could follow doctors during their rounds.

          As if the hordes of medical students weren't enough! Now robots are going to get in the way too?

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
    1. Re:Oh no! by Sylver+Dragon · · Score: 4, Funny

      At least the robots will be useful.

      --
      Necessity is the mother of invention.
      Laziness is the father.
    2. Re:Oh no! by Stormy+Dragon · · Score: 2, Funny

      Also with this system, a Dalek robot could follow the Doctor during his rounds.

  5. Next Month by Rie+Beam · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Robots Master the Conga Line"

  6. There's goes the last advantage to being German by RexDevious · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was always precise, fast, and prone to crashing at work; but what really set me apart from the crowd was, being half German, I was a "born follower". I *hate* leading, what with all the decisions and vague metrics of success. I much prefer basking in the flawless execution of my assigned tasks, even when they were morally ambiguous or made no sense at all. I make a great programmer because computers also demand you do things "their way", even it only a tiny fraction of the population can stomach it.

    It's only a small step from following leaders physically to following them figuratively. I can only hope that *some* company sticks with the current approach of producing software that treats me as the spineless meat-bag that I am.

  7. Creatures that follow you around? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Thanks, but I already have cats.

  8. Re:Robots like Roland by Hurricane78 · · Score: 2, Funny

    OMG! I LOVE you, Firefox! :D
    I had AdBlock Plus enabled. And I will leave it that way, never knowing how much ads are there. Sorry Roland. No cookie for you.

    --
    Any sufficiently advanced intelligence is indistinguishable from stupidity.