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Teaching Robots New Tricks Without Programming

Posted by timothy on from the use-the-force-feedback-luke dept.

cylonlover writes "Maya Cakmak, a researcher from Georgia Tech, spent the summer at Willow Garage creating a user-friendly system that teaches the PR2 robot simple tasks. The kicker is that it doesn't require any traditional programming skills whatsoever – it works by physically guiding the robot's arms while giving it verbal commands. After inviting regular people to give it a try, she found that with few instructions they were able to teach the PR2 how to retrieve medicine from a cabinet and fold a t-shirt."

3 of 42 comments (clear)

  1. The Program is Right There in the Article. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Without programming?"

    Bullshit. Look in the article, in the picture in the article.

    Program's right there, on the right side.

    "Test subjects were provided instructions on how to teach the robot similar to what you'd expect when buying a sophisticated appliance."

    "Tutorial: Programming PR2 by Demonstration."

    "Step 1... Say: 'TEST MICROPHONE'."

    "Step 2... Say: 'RELEASE RIGHT ARM.' ... Move the arm to a neutral pose and say HOLD RIGHT ARM."

    If this isn't programming, then I'm not a programmer. Instead, I'm just someone who manipulates a text editor.

  2. Its still programming by Osgeld · · Score: 4, Insightful

    its just the method that has changed

  3. Corrected title... by davidwr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Teaching Robots New Tricks With Non-Traditional Programming

    There, fixed that for you.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.