2015 EmbraceaRobothumanWorld
- (Veloso, 2015) ⇒ Manuela Veloso. (2015). “Embrace a Robot-Human World.” In: Nature Journal, 521(7553).
Subject Headings: Artificial Intelligence Prediction
Notes
- In the same issue as:
- (Russell, 2015) ⇒ Stuart Russell. (2015). “Take a Stand on AI Weapons.” In: Nature Journal, 521(7553).
- (Hauert, 2015) ⇒ Sabine Hauert. (2015). “Shape the Debate, Don't Shy from It.” In: Nature Journal, 521(7553).
- (Altman, 2015) ⇒ Russ Altman. (2015). “Distribute AI Benefits Fairly.” In: Nature Journal, 521(7553).
Cited By
Quotes
Humans seamlessly integrate perception, cognition and action. We use our sensors to assess the state of the world, our brains to think and choose actions to achieve objectives, and our bodies to execute those actions. My research team is trying to build robots that are capable of doing the same — with artificial sensors (cameras, microphones and scanners), algorithms and actuators, which control the mechanisms.
But autonomous robots and humans differ greatly in their abilities. Robots may always have perceptual, cognitive and actuation limitations. They might not be able to fully perceive a scene, recognize or manipulate any object, understand all spoken or written language, or navigate in any terrain. I think that robots will complement humans, not supplant them. But robots need to know when to ask for help and how to express their inner workings.
To learn more about how robots and humans work together, for the past three years we have shared our laboratory and buildings with four collaborative robots, or CoBots, which we developed. The robots look a bit like mechanical lecterns. They have omnidirectional wheels that enable them to steer smoothly around obstacles; camera and lidar systems to provide depth vision; computers for processing; screens for communication; and a basket to carry things in.
Early on, we realized how challenging real environments are for robots. The CoBots cannot recognize every object they encounter; lacking arms or hands they struggle to open doors, pick things up or manipulate them. Although they can use speech to communicate, they may not recognize or understand the meaning of words spoken in response.
We introduced the concept of 'symbiotic autonomy' to enable robots to ask for help from humans or from the Internet. Now, robots and humans in our building aid one another in overcoming the limitations of each other.
CoBots escort visitors through the building or carry objects between locations, gathering useful information along the way. For example, they can generate accurate maps of spaces, showing temperature, humidity, noise and light levels, or WiFi signal strength. We help the robots to open doors, press lift buttons, pick up objects and follow dialogue by giving clarifications.
There are still hurdles to overcome to enable robots and humans to co-exist safely and productively. My team is researching how people and robots can communicate more easily through language and gestures, and how robots and people can better match their representations of objects, tasks and goals.
We are also studying how robot appearance enhances interactions, in particular how indicator lights may reveal more of a robot's inner state to humans. For instance, if the robot is busy, its lights may be yellow, but when it is available they are green.
Although we have a way to go, I believe that the future will be a positive one if humans and robots can help and complement each other.
References
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| Author | volume | Date Value | title | type | journal | titleUrl | doi | note | year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 EmbraceaRobothumanWorld | Stuart J. Russell Manuela Veloso Sabine Hauert Russ B. Altman | Embrace a Robotâhuman World |