Archive for February, 2017

PostHeaderIcon Artificial Intelligence to steam ahead in the UK

Artificial Intelligence to steam ahead in the UK

What is the future of AI? this may be science fiction today but AI could be real sooner than you think. Bill Gate says robots who take people’s jobs should be taxed, it seems that this idea has not fallen on deaf ears, within days the UK Government is to lead the way in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence with a pledge to invest 17.3 millions in Robotics and AI, hmmmm could this be a way to get more taxes in the future? Robots consciousness and robots rights are also on the table at the exhibition at the London Science museum (see previous posts about the London Science museum Robot exhibition).

Full article about Taxing Robots
“Bill Gates has called for a tax on robots to make up for lost taxes from workers whose jobs are destroyed by automation…”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/02/20/robots-take-peoples-jobs-should-pay-taxes-says-bill-gates/

“millions of jobs will be lost to automation over the next two decades. Researchers predicted that two million jobs retail jobs will disappear by 2030 and 600,000 will go in manufacturing. “
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/government-digital-strategy-technology-robotics-artificial-intelligence-investment-a7600046.html

While we eagerly wait for the next season of the lifelike robots in the TV serie Humans, check this delightful animation, if you have not yet seen it, this is a must and quite moving – 3 million views.

3D Animation of Humanoid Robot with Artificial Intelligence


Humans Serie 1 Channel 4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humans_(TV_series)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4122068/

Another unmissable is the movie EX Machina, if you have missed this atmospheric movie on the big screen, be sure to download or get the DVD, avoid Youtube before watching the film as it is full of Spoilers.

Ex Machina Trailer

Ex Machina official website
http://exmachina-movie.com/acclaim

PostHeaderIcon Robot friends Milo and Kaspar to help with Autism

Robotics is helping people with autism. Milo may look similar to the puppet in a suitcase of the ventriloquist showman of yesteryear but this boy robot helps autistic people to interact without the stress of deciphering ambiguous human emotions. Some family use apps to communicate with their autistic child via a pal on the app – again facial expression are easy to understand and the virtual pal becomes a reliable friend who never gets upset. With Milo you have a full robot person “in the flesh”, he can even have a little dance.

A similar concept is Kaspar from the University of Hertfordshire, on this video we can see how autistic children are enjoying the simple and predictive response of their robot friend Kaspar. The Uni has 20 prototypes designed to help children with autism to better understand emotions and facial expressions and build social skills through this simple interaction. Nursery staff where the prototypes are being tested are complimenting the positive impact on the children.

https://www.daynurseries.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/1577637/Kaspar-the-friendly-robot-teaches-children-human-feelings

Update 26/02/2017 6 minutes documentary and chat about "Kaspar the Robot helps Autistic Children"

PostHeaderIcon Erica Japanese Receptionist Robot and the Robot Hotel

Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro’s latest creation is the lovely Erica, a dedicated receptionist, administrator and personal assistant.
Much more attractive than his previous creation (an identical twin of himself)

Not sure who is the most creepy on this video, the inventor or the reporter – Erica is just great!

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/dec/31/erica-the-most-beautiful-and-intelligent-android-ever-leads-japans-robot-revolution

Interesting 15 minute documentary about a stay at the Japanese Robot hotel in Japan, entirely ran by robots. Is this the future for the tourism industry?
Henn-na Hotel is the brainchld of CEO Hideo Sawada.

PostHeaderIcon Spy in the Wild Amazing Animal Robots

Dont’ miss the superb documentaries “Spy in the Wild” using robots animal lookalike to get a unique close-up filming angle on animal behaviour. The results are astonishing and allowed the team to film behaviour never seen before.

 

Teaser trailers below:

 

Link to watch online:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b088s4fy?ns_mchannel=YT&ns_source=bbc_one&ns_linkname=description_link

PostHeaderIcon Ghost in the Shell New Movie

Coming soon the long awaited Japanese Manga adaptation “Ghost in the Shell” new movie with Scarlett Johansson, a humanoid female police officer against a computer hacker – release due March 2017. The original anime movie from 1995 is worth watching.

Official Trailer

 

Ghost in the Shell

Anime

Ghost in the Shell in 3D

In depth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell

Ghost in the Shell Cast
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1219827/

A Hong-Kong man designed a real robot called Mark 1 modelled after a mysterious hollywood star – your guess!

PostHeaderIcon Robot Exhibition at the Science Museum London

Until 3 September 2017.

“Discover how robots and society have been shaped by the industrial revolution, 20th century popular culture and our dreams of the future.

This exhibition explores the 500-year story of humanoid robots and features an unique collection of over 100 robots, from a 16th-century mechanical monk to creations from science fiction and modern-day research labs. Fifteen of the robots will be working models and your students may even get the chance to interact with one.”

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/educators/things-to-do/galleries/robots-exhibition