Do you ever worry that robots will take over?

A robot has been taught to laugh at jokes in a bid to make it more human

Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan are using artificial intelligence (AI) to train robots about appropriate laughter – and to differentiate between chuckles and rip-roaring squeals.

Writing in the journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI, they describe working with a robot called Erica with the hope of making conversations more natural.

‘We think that one of the important functions of conversational AI is empathy,’ said lead author Dr Koji Inoue, an assistant professor at Kyoto University in the Department of Intelligence Science and Technology.

‘Conversation is, of course, multimodal, not just responding correctly. So we decided that one way a robot can empathise with users is to share their laughter, which you cannot do with a text-based chatbot.’

Creating a ‘shared laughter’ model, the researchers used AI to help detect laughter, decide whether to laugh and also what kind of laughter would be best.

Four short two to three-minute dialogues between real people and Erica were used to test the system, which performed well.

However, the experts said there is more work to do to create truly natural laughter situations.
Dr Inoue said: ‘Robots should actually have a distinct character, and we think that they can show this through their conversational behaviours, such as laughing, eye gaze, gestures and speaking style.
 
Engineers have built a special robot to stop elderly people from being injured through a fall or a trip.

Known officially as a ‘Mobile Robot Balance Assistant’ and informally as MRBA or ‘Mr. Bah’, the device is essentially a motorised vehicle with a harness attached.

The robot follows an elderly person around while they go about their day wearing the harness on their hips.

It’s chock full of sensors and when it detects the motions associated with a fall it tightens the harness to keep the patient on their feet.

In clinical trials involving 29 participants, including patients who suffered from stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal cord injuries, the researchers found Mr Bah helped them with sitting, standing, and walking, as well as assisting in tasks like fetching water.

No falls were recorded in the trials, which spanned three days per participant.

Associate Professor Ang Wei Tech, who supervised the project’s development, said: ‘MRBA could prove to be an invaluable resource for older adult users, and help promote independent living and aging.’

The research team says it hopes to expand the study and recruit 71 more participants from day rehabilitation centres to further build a use case for the robot to be used in home and community settings.
 
If I'm still around in 20 years I think by then robots will become a common household item, that could interact with and assist say, an elderly person. They can hold a simple conversation now, in 20 years robots might really become interesting.
 
Nathan said:
If I'm still around in 20 years I think by then robots will become a common household item, that could interact with and assist say, an elderly person. They can hold a simple conversation now, in 20 years robots might really become interesting.
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I feel that Robots are very likely to take over the work of care assistants in nursing homes.. The one who do the feeding, or the cleaning, or the heavy lifting.. those types of jobs
 
Not during our remaining short senior lifetimes. Anything happening in the next 3 decades won't be squat compared to say where AI/robotics will be in 100 years or 1000 years. As seniors on SS, we are isolated from concerns in the workplace world where livelihoods are at stake. As I've noted before, much much more a concern is endless infrastructure growth, Earth monkey overpopulation, destruction of Earth environments, global warming, and extinction of life species.
 
Nathan said:
Having robots working in nursing homes would ideal, as that type of labor is very much a thankless job.
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I hate to say it but I don't think robots in nursing homes would be a good idea. I don't think the residents would go for it either. They need the contact and connection to other human beings. What's some lonely little old lady gonna do with a robot?
 
MarciKS said:
I hate to say it but I don't think robots in nursing homes would be a good idea. I don't think the residents would go for it either. They need the contact and connection to other human beings. What's some lonely little old lady gonna do with a robot?
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Well unfortunately, the 'little old lady'' suffering from Dementia is unlikely to be aware :(
 
PreciousDove said:
Is it possible robots can take over humans in the future? Are you the kind of person that says don't worry about it, who makes the robots?
All kinds of things are being tested by robots in a lot of fields i.e. bomb squad, testing cars, and even flipping burgers.
What do you think about all this?
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Open the Pod Bay doors Hal!
 
MarciKS said:
I hate to say it but I don't think robots in nursing homes would be a good idea. I don't think the residents would go for it either. They need the contact and connection to other human beings. What's some lonely little old lady gonna do with a robot?
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Actually the idea has already caught on, and with wide acceptance . Companion robots are being marketed in a myriad of configurations, from smaller, affordable to larger Humanoid service version.
 
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