___________________[PRO] Roboceptionist

[congeries]

Robotics Institute student Mark Michalowski looks over the kiosk where 'Valerie', the new Roboceptionist at Carnegie Mellon University operates from before the indroduction of the school's latest foray into interactive robots in Pittsburgh.

Students and professors from the computer science and drama departments created the personna that greets people and gossips on the phone. Instead of just giving out directions or telling visitors about the weather, Valerie is programmed with her own personality.

они, наверное, подумали, что если написать personna, то будет более личчностно звучать. но вообще-то, робот на рисепшн в студенческом общежитии - самое милое то. тётки, стоявшие на проходных в фдс-ах, всегда больше на роботов смахивали, чем на тёток; не знаю, как сейчас.

а ещё можно было милицанеров на входах в гз на роботов заменить; всё лучше контроль был бы.



под катом - текст небольшой заметки
University Unveils Robot Receptionist

By Judi Lin, Associated Press Writer

PITTSBURGH - She might not be paid, but Carnegie Mellon University's newest staff member does all that a typical receptionist should: gives directions, answers the phone — even gossips about her boss.

"Valerie" is considered the world's first robot receptionist with a personality, university officials said Wednesday. [это враньё, разумеется, можно просто порывшись в гугле обнаружить с десяток подобных проектов] The blonde roboceptionist interacts with people by talking about her boss, her psychiatrist and her dream of being a lounge star.

"We wanted to give her an underdog character, struggling to make it in a world of humans," said Kevin Snipes, 26, a graduate student in drama writing, one of four writers who came up with Valerie's fictional character. "After a while on the job, she gets testy. But she can be charming too."

The school-funded project is the result of a 2 1/2-year collaboration between Carnegie Mellon's computer science and drama departments with a goal of creating a socially skilled robot that engages people. Officials say the robot has potential commercial applications and the drama department may incorporate it in a musical cabaret — despite her limited tone and pitch.

"She has no idea she's awful," Snipes said.

Valerie is a drum-shaped contraption with a digitally animated face that appears on a computer display, perched in a custom-made booth at the entrance of a computer science hall.

With her ability to detect motion, she greets visitors as they approach. Type in a question on a keyboard and she dispenses directions around the Pittsburgh campus and fills visitors in on the weather.

Eventually her creators would like to install face and voice recognition, and make Valerie more lifelike by taking her "face" off a flat-screen monitor.

Valerie, however, does have her limits. Visitors have to type on a keyboard to communicate with her, and she understands only simple questions.

"What we don't have is a robot with the type of understanding people do (about their surroundings)," said Reid Simmons, research professor at the university's Robotics Institute. "It's creating illusions that this robot is really more socially aware than it is."

Comments

[corey01.livejournal.com]

Самое забавное, в каком направлении развиваются роботы - совсем не туда, куда их планировали фантасты. Вместо одушевленных груд металла - изображение, которое транслируется вам прямо в мозг, минуя ненужную и дорогостоящую физическую оболочку.