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ICYMI: Trusting robots too much, automated garbage and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-528017{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-528017, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-528017{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-528017").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: The Georgia Tech Research Institute studied how people would react to a robot with clearly labeled 'emergency guide' signage, during a fire drill. Researchers thought humans would ignore the robots and go straight for nearby exits, but instead, they followed the robots deeper into the building, where there was no way out.
Volvo shows off a prototype of its self-emptying trash can
Volvo's ROAR (RObot based Autonomous Refuse handling) project has moved into prototype testing, the company announced earlier this week. The ROAR system is designed to autonomously empty trash cans from the back of a garbage truck, saving the driver from having to manually load bins into the hopper. The initial concept involved just the robot, which relied on maps of the neighborhood and likely bin locations (as well as GPS, LiDAR and accelerometers) to help it navigate. The new iteration, on the other hand, also employs an aerial drone that lifts off from the garbage truck's roof to act as a pair of "eyes in the sky" for the ROAR, telling it where the trash cans actually are, not just where they're supposed to be.
Volvo wants robots to help collect your garbage
To call garbage collection an inglorious job would be an understatement -- it typically involves early mornings, monotony and (of course) lots of smelly trash. It's the perfect sort of job for a robot, don't you think? Volvo agrees. It's partnering with both universities and waste management firm Renova on ROAR (Robot-based Autonomous Refuse handling), a project that has robots pick up your trash while a human oversees everything from the relative comfort of the garbage truck. It's still early going (the odds are that the end product will look nothing like what you see above), but the hope is that it'll eliminate most of the drudgery and noise of scooping up waste. You should see the first tests in June 2016, although it could be a while longer before you see automatons in front of your house -- ROAR won't be practical unless the robots can reliably empty cans and bins in real-world conditions.
Hear me roar: Become the voice of a monster in R.O.H.A.N.
Ever listen to video game sounds and go, "I could do that 20% better!"? Well, now's the time to prove it. YNK Interactive has launched a Roar & Win contest in which players are encouraged to record their most terrifying monster voice and submit it for possible use in R.O.H.A.N.: Blood Feud. The best sound clips will be implemented into the game as the voice of the Boreal Hell Demon, a two-headed monstrosity in the Elemental Dungeon. Players are asked to record three phrases, including the lovely "I can just taste your filthy blood," in an effort to not just become part of the game, but to win prizes like a Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset, in-game currency, and in-game items. YNK's Derrick Lee thinks this contest meshes well with the season: "Just in time for Halloween, the Roar & Win event will surely release the monsters within our players. Our year's focus is the community, and this event is a great way for our players to be a part of the game they love." The contest ends at midnight on October 26th, and the winner's voice will be added to the game on November 1st.
