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Advanced Social Skills For Humanoid Robots
Lanxon writes "A pan-European team of robotics researchers began a project this year that could see humanoid bots interact with groups of people in a realistic, anthropomorphic way for the first time. The 'humanoids with auditory and visual abilities in populated spaces' (HUMAVIPS) project has the ambitious goal of making humanoid bots just a bit more human by building algorithms that will enable bots to mimic what psychologists call the 'cocktail party effect' — the human ability to focus attention on just one person in the midst of other people, voices and background noise."
soon robots will have better social skills than I do?
> Advanced Social Skills For Humanoid Robots ... ...
>
> team of robotics researchers
That story should be tagged "what-could-possibly-go-wrong" ;-)
You, my friend, have hit the nail on the head. Social interaction is not defined by a behavior pattern, but by patterns driven by desires, or goals as they term them scientifically. It's great to get a press release when you figure out how to mimic some human behavior, and more great when you get a program to mimic human thought. The trouble really comes when you try to mimic humans, they are unpredictable, non-logical, and down-right antagonistic to programmatic function. Build me a robot with low self-esteem and we can have a conversation. Build me a robot that can sell used cars, we have a few months of conversation, build me a robot that can sell oil to Arabs and we have a deal. Build me a wall street robot and we have a government contract !!!
Support NYCountryLawyer RIAA vs People
That's not true. Sometimes it is necessary to have a droid who understands the binary language of moisture vaporators. That's something even poor moisture farmers need.
Why are we working so hard on creating protocol droids when utility droids are so much better?
Except that a protocol droid IS a utility droid under the right circumstances. C-3PO knows "over six million forms of communication"; that's extremely useful for diplomats, foreign exchange students, travelers, etc., etc., etc. Not everyone needs a garbage can that can plug into their computer and display low-res holograms. Heck, C-3PO was needed most of the time so that people could understand just what in the world your "clever, handy, and quick" droid was trying to do or say. For a more relevant example, let's say that R2-D2 is a Linux computer C-3PO is a Mac. Tons of people still use the latter, don't they?
What about advanced social skills for MEEEEEEEEEEE?
focusing on one person in a crowded room, being able to hear what one person is saying despite a lot of other talking and background noise I don't care about? I don't have that super-power, where do I sign up?
-- 'The' Lord and Master Bitman On High, Master Of All
I think the small part of my brain that handles irony just segfaulted
From TFA:
NAO comes with a 500MHz CPU, although an improved head with double the computing power is expected before the end of the year.
At least they are smart enough to put the CPU in the head. This makes the robot easier to disable once it starts using its new-found social skills to ask about the location of Sarah Connor.
Dewey, you fool! Your decimal system has played right into my hands!
"Welcome, stranger."
"Oh, hi."
"What are ya buyin'?"
"Nothin'."
"What are ya sellin'?"
"Nothin'."
"Come back anytime."
"Oh, OK."
"Welcome, stranger."
"Aaah!"
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?