Anthropomorphic robot shows off its Rock, Paper, Scissors-playing skills

BERTI (built by a partnership of the Bristol Robotics Laboratory and Elumotion Ltd.) is a fully automated robotic torso designed to perform "credible conversational gestures." The robot is capable of quite complex hand movements, and, in the demonstration video above, plays a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with a fine gentleman wearing a Goldfinger t-shirt, becoming another addition to the long line of gaming bots. Hit the read link to find out more info about BERTI and the project.

[Via Robots.net]

[Amir @ Feb 22nd 2009 10:53AM]

even people who play this game are boring, why would we need a robot for that?!

[gunner @ Feb 22nd 2009 10:54AM]

cause they were bored playing with humans and decided to make a robot to play with?

[Jamie M @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:03AM]

Alas! You uncultured hooligan! Any true gentleman will inform you: rock paper scissors is the only honourable way to settle a disagreement.

[Flashpoint @ Feb 22nd 2009 1:27PM]

It shouldn't be possible to beat the robot at this game.

The robot should be able to scan your motions and develop a trend pattern to calculate your emotion and your hand movements BEFORE you throw out your gesture. It should be able to read your gesture and then change its own gesture to a gesture that trumphs your gesture in a matter of microseconds. Since it takes longer for the human brain to react than the machine's, the robot should be able to win every single time.


Now lets give it a connection to a nuclear stockpile.

[whiskey @ Feb 22nd 2009 5:13PM]

Yes but can it play Rock Paper Scissors Level 101? http://www.umop.com/rps101/rps101chart.html

This student takes his distance, why? Because the other ones got too close and discovered that when the robot loses he rips his opponent's arms (very much like Wookees)

[Niks @ Feb 22nd 2009 10:43PM]

The robot is cheating properly he do slowly !

[Steveorevo @ Feb 23rd 2009 12:57AM]

"It's a bore"

[aboriginal @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:00AM]

How about a nice game of chess?

[ProfessorDex @ Feb 22nd 2009 12:35PM]

No, let's play Global Thermonuclear War.

[Mobius_1 @ Feb 22nd 2009 6:00PM]

"I win"

[Blackstar @ Feb 22nd 2009 8:38PM]

The only winning move is, not to play.

[Mobius_1 @ Feb 22nd 2009 9:19PM]

@ Blackstar:

But if anybody else decides to play, the robot will be able to say:

"You lose"

[Blackstar @ Mar 4th 2009 10:05PM]

@ Mobius_1

*sigh.

I think someone needs to go back and watch "Wargames" again, if they haven't already.

[wow @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:04AM]

is it capable of the infamous "third finger" gesture?

[acezry @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:01AM]

There is something ominous about hearing that robot say "I win".

As if some day when he is looking over the endless fields of his human slaves, these words will be muttered again.

I for one welcome our future robot overlords!

[Vicada @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:18AM]

I second that. BTW did anyone else notice how its voice is almost an exact copy of HAL? I could almost imagine how that faceless drone on the picture says "Hello, doctor Chandra".

Don't agree about the welcome though. If a pile of sheet metal and wires wants to dominate my evolved ass it's gotta work for it. And work hard.

[Flashpoint @ Feb 22nd 2009 1:20PM]

DIE HuMAN

[nathanpaulprince @ Feb 22nd 2009 7:42PM]

The voice is a stock pattern - you buy it the way it is - it's recognizable because if you google other applications that use voice or speech, it's just a generic wav file now...

[Shunnabunich @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:46PM]

Rock smashes scissors, scissors cut paper, paper covers rock, robot overthrows humanity.

[spartaninahog @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:04AM]

I dont see any hand movements made by the bot. Unless the "human" is the bot?! Can anyone say CYLONS?!?!

[Chris @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:07AM]

Teach it to play and score "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock" and THEN I'll be impressed!

[Greg @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:59AM]

Exactly my thoughts, maybe even give it a shirt....

http://www.thinkgeek.com/tshirts-apparel/unisex/generic/b597/

[Ry @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:13AM]

Just wait till these things can play video games, then we will wish all they knew was "rock, paper, errorrs"

[jbird @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:45AM]

Is it just me, or when the robot says 'I win' you get a shiver down your spine that sends you into a future apocalyptic daydream?

[Grus @ Feb 22nd 2009 12:06PM]

Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore. Goodbye.

[Mark @ Feb 22nd 2009 12:52PM]

It's a draw
I win
Complete nuclear annihilation is immanent

[freq @ Feb 22nd 2009 1:06PM]

this HAL2000 voice still scares the cr@ppe out of me :D

[Sean @ Feb 23rd 2009 12:10AM]

Did you seriously just say HAL2000?

[Walid Dahdal @ Feb 22nd 2009 3:58PM]

Thi robot would be alot cooler if it played rock paper ... flamethrower

[KilgoreTrout @ Feb 22nd 2009 2:29PM]

I want it, I need it, sell it to me now.
Can I program it to use a gun?


Scared now? You should be; because if (when?) this thing will become dangerous it will not be its fault, or even the fault of those who buld it: as always it will be the fault of some moron misusing a useful technology.

[CapWKidd @ Feb 22nd 2009 2:46PM]

Funny, I thought the "I Win" "You Win" sounded like WOPR from (one of my all time favorite movies), War Games. Remember kiddies, "the only winning move it not to play".

[ProfessorDex @ Feb 22nd 2009 7:51PM]

See my comment above! ;)

[cliff @ Feb 22nd 2009 3:40PM]

Crap
here come skynet!

[Matt E. @ Feb 22nd 2009 4:59PM]

Sarah Connor just got her new mission.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Feb 22nd 2009 6:11PM]

Whats wrong with the guys left hand, it seemingly morphs from four fingers down to three. nice robot tho/

[Nando @ Feb 22nd 2009 9:32PM]

I was expecting more "I for one, welcome our _______ robot overlords" coments

I, for one, welcome our Anthropomorphic, Rock - Paper - Scissors-playing robot overlords...

Sorry, I couldn't help it...

[Erik S @ Feb 22nd 2009 10:06PM]

Hey, The guy is using a P5 to interact with it!!! I still have mine! :D

[Icchansan @ Feb 22nd 2009 11:47PM]

this is so wrong :P

[jcdenton @ Feb 23rd 2009 2:55AM]

So is your avatar

[Icchansan @ Feb 23rd 2009 7:05AM]

I like yours :P share?

[jS @ Feb 23rd 2009 7:46AM]

I get the feeling that if the robot loses a few times in a row, he'll get angry and bust up the place.

[Jon Doe. @ Feb 23rd 2009 10:59AM]

Yep but the real test of its intelligence is how does it do playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, Spock, Lizard?

http://www.samkass.com/theories/RPSSL.gif

If it can play that I will be impressed.