By now, you're no doubt well acquainted with the
Albert Hubo Einstein robot developed by the mad scientists at
KAIST, but some researchers at the University of California, San Diego has also been working on their own Einstein bot for the past little while, and they've now managed to teach it some new tricks. While the bot has previously been able to display a full range of expressions through some pre-programmed facial movements, it's now able to
teach itself how to smile or display other emotions thanks to a new trial-and-error technique dubbed "body babble." That apparently works by comparing Einstein's attempts at an expression with some facial recognition software, which provides Al with some positive feedback each time he manages an actual expression. Did we mention there's a video? Check it out after the break.
[Via
Switched]
Update: The folks at UC, San Diego have kindly pointed us towards a bit more
background on their Einstein robot, including a
video of its pre-self-teaching days, and a couple of
behind-the-scenes pics. Head on past the break for one we like to call "Einstein: Behind the Face."
posted July 10th 2009 8:36PM
WTF...Dr.Einstein will come back & hunt this guy down
If he'd lived a bit longer, he probably could have invented time travel.
Einstein had crazy hair. That hair looks more like that of the late Bea Arthur.
Einstein did NOT normally have crazy hair. It's just in like that in one or two famous photographs.... This robot is closer to reality than one would be with crazy hair.
That last picture looks like a good FFFFUUUUU candidate.
> ...Dr.Einstein will come back & hunt this guy down
Or Mark Twain.
@Smart People Play Tuba
Do a mild amount of research buddy, there literally about 50 well known pictures in which Einstein had some pretty crazy hair, and maybe 5 where he had "normal" hair. It's not unreasonable for someone to assume his hair was "crazy" all the time.
That first pic looks a little like Ron Jeremy. Not really the hair, but the mouth and eyes.
Why does this Einstien look like Helen Hunt?
I know. It seems like he's wearing a bra!
Why does MeanSpyvie use as his icon an image of a man who shot a police officer in cold blood in front of the officer's 12-year-old nephew?
More like Mrs Doubtfire.
I was thinking Phyllis Diller
@DC
That's the FBI sketch of the Unabomber, while he most certainly was a criminal he never shot anybody and no law enforcement officers were among his victims. He (Ted Kaczynski) also didn't look anything like this sketch.
I've tried to change the avatar several times but the site doesn't seem to accept the new one. I can and have changed my name but the pic stays the same.
Get over it old man.
@DC
That's a promo picture of "Weird Al" Yankovic for the "Eat It" tour.
I have no idea how you could've mistaken him for a killer person.
@B_Lizzard: I wish I could upvote this twice.
Why does Mean Spyvie look like Greta Garbo? What is a spyvie? If he doesn't want to be seen, why does he keep coming out? Why does he call DC old man? Is DC, Spyvie's old man? That would explain the disguise.
that looks like an old lady with a mustache. i'd hit it, why not - at least its some gummy.
I kinda want to +1 that, but I'm afraid I might go to hell.
I think I threw up a little in my mouth...
well this screams uncanny valley...kinda freaky.
Team America anyone?
That's what I thought!
Why is Einstein wearing eyeliner?
Because that is just how he rolls! The secret life of Einstein....eyeliner and bras in the evenings!
My question is, how did they screw up so bad with Einstein's trademark: his hair?
That's funny, I thought his trademark was E=MC^2
Great, another terrifying cyborg to join the hunt for manflesh.
Scary...
This is starting to seriously damage my calm...
Jayne!
That is the scariest robot I've ever seen. Einstein is BACK! With a vengeance! E = MC Pain BEECH!!!!
No, silly.
E = MC Vagina.
Terminator model: T_E=mc2.
looks just like my grandma
Einstein is rolling in his grave.
I have it on good authority that he's past that stage. My friend's cousin's dad's uncle visited his grave this morning and his body was gone. I reckon he's on his way to beat the shit out of the creator of this monstrosity.
looks like an angry lady
Disturbing
Looks like an old woman with a mustache.
I thought Bea Arthur died?
I thought it was an animatronic Bea Arthur.
I thought I saw his eye balls moved for a second there....phew......
Why is it that we as humans want robots, but when we see them, we are terrified?
because "we want ROBOTS". Not monsters. Give me a shinny metal beauty. Why replicate all the biological ugliness? Blah
In related news, Real Doll asked for a Federal bailout after their "Marilyn Monroe/Albert Einstein Combo Fun Pack" torpedoed the company.
What's the point of making it look elderly, very few people will look like that in the future o.o;.
Great. Can it write my thesis for me?
There is no formula for what I'm feeling.
Why does Einstein look like Phyllis Diller with a serious poonstache?