MIT is really taking its robotics program to a whole new level with its "MDS" platform, which stands for Mobile, Dexterous and Social. The flagship bot so far is Nexi, who certainly fits the bill, albeit with an extra dab of creepy. The bot stands on a Segway-esque wheel base, has articulated arms and hands, and can convey a wide range of emotion with that pasty white face. Nexi has a computer on board to manage sensors and instinctual responses, while it offloads the heavy duty AI work to a stationary computer over the network. MIT's eventual goal is to have Nexi and others participate in Socially Situated Robot Learning -- observing and interacting with humans to figure out how best to integrate with them. Don't worry Nexi, we like you for
you. Video is after the break.
[Via
fresh creation]
posted Apr 3rd 2008 9:44AM
Oh god that picture is creepy.
These things look like the stereotypical "prophets" that rule the robot kingdom which will overthrow humanity.
I saw something like this in DOOM 3
Looks like Christina Ricci in "The Addams Family".
Ok, what they need to do is point them both towards each other so they can play off each others reactions. I'll bet you within 20 minutes one of the robots beats the other into very tiny bits.
Yet its social prowess surpasses that of the average socially-awkward MIT nerd--wait a second, is that an accomplishment?
Those guys' (gals?) faces somehow remind me of the little sisters in Bioshock... And those were scary enough... Give them some hair MIT!
MIT needs to make a bot that won't scare the living dayights out of you.
Required part of creating a robot.. has to seem like a harbinger of something darker.. and weirder.
They also need to create a bot that can actually speak as cleanly as this bot's narration. Creepy factor x3 if the "standard" emotionless computer generated voice were used.
Well as you can see by their faces, they can't understand what purpose a Sony Rolly™ has either.
Ok those are really scary. I usually never say that about androids and all but those really are.
yeah seriously, if I met that in an alley, after about 5 seconds of it talking and doing "Facial shit", I'd be smacking the hell out of it with a metal pole of some description
That is sooo creepy... oh and they skipped the "happy" emotion - that thing can't smile to save its artificial life.
Please don't be mad.
Scared. For. Life.
ZOMG SO SCARY.
.....
Nexi.. phone home?
Does anyone else find the large hole in the middle of the forehead just a little scary? Maybe I've just been watching too many zombie movies...
Ahhhhh! No you can't be my friend!
That 3rd eye ... Bet that's where his laser sits. To either cut your skull in two or burn it's will real deep into your brain, whatever the situation requires.
Now bow down puny humans!
I thought maybe it was... Indian?
The "mad" expression scared the shit out of me.
They seem to have taken their cue from he robot in Daft Punk's Technologic video. http://youtube.com/watch?v=bPZJYQXQsm8
I was going to comment the exact same thing!
Did anyone notice how it rolled in almost exactly like the clown-puppet-face-thing from the Saw movies?
Nice (1U) rack
I assume it has a mouth so it can roll up close to you and sigh loudly all day long.
Or... tickle me emo!
Calling Dr. Who!
That is kinda freaky that MIT gave it Terminator-like shoulder joints.....
,,, Anthropomorphizing robots scares the shite out of me... Especially these in particular... if this is the world of tomorrow, I'm running the other way... tho... hm, posted 1st of April.. There is hope for us yet, until the day we end up "regarded as pets" by our creations as Clarke once said.. heh
DON'T make the mistake of bending with one of these in the room. Word on the street it will ram its fist straight up yer poop shoot. Still don't know why.
Bjork was hotter as an iMac.
ok I'll stop now.
Wow... This is not as creepy as I thought when I saw the video...
It's pretty amazing... HONDA should watch out...
That is so cool. Interesting minimalist approach to the face. Makes you think about what visual cueing we use when we look at another human face. A few suggestions though:
1) Change the images in the PR stills/videos to something less dark and creepy/depressing.
2) It's probably not a good idea to have it roll up behind people silently.
3) Never let it handle cutlery or threatening-looking objects.
4) Keep the lights on while it's active.
Kinda creepy, reminds me of some of the enemies from Doom3. Who needs a Martian base and a hellgate, give it a few more years and couple hundred more of these and we can play doom over at MIT.
I wish my damn avatar would update.....
resubmit it, it's computers, they often fail.
Seriously, what in the hell do I have to do to get an avatar up here? Anybody have and idea on size (file or pixel) or file type restrictions? I posted a 64x64 jpeg 3 times now and it refuses work. 5 minutes to update your posts my ass!
I had one fail too, I changed it a bit and resubmitted and it worked, go figure.
Same dimensions though
I'm sorry, but I don't want those son of a bitch robots trying to be my friend. "Chopping Mall", West World and Terminator. No fucking thanks dude.
Social. Demented and sad, but social.
No one should ever program program robots to look or act mad. Ever.
Also, I'm kid of tired of seeing robots with fake eyes just to make them look more human. Can't they just put the camera where they fake eyes are? If I'm going to have to blind a robot attacker with spray paint, I at least want to know where to spray.
Beautiful :)
You'd hit it?
Off topic- But..
Samurai Jack!..
Is back on Saturdays. Missed the first episode...
My comment was supposed to reply to Zeek...
Bad Comment!
I don't think It's creepy or scary.That is technology.Some vey intelligent people made that happen.To me,that is amazing!
OMG thats freaky!