Posts

‘What the Machine Uprising Might Look Like’: Video Shows Robot ‘Going Berserk’

/0 Comments/in , /by

A video has appeared online of a malfunction of a robot at a China factory.

“Malfunction,” however, might not be the most accurate term.

“This is what the machine uprising might look like: a video is going viral online showing a robot going berserk during testing,” explained NEXTA, a large Eastern European media concern, which posted the video.

One response on social media tried to explain it away: “Clearly unbalanced, then tried using algorithms to rebalance, but the algorithms were not tuned which led to wild oscillations, furthering the imbalance. This is ‘not’ an “attack.”

That might not be reassuring to two workers, near the robot when it powered up, who then jumped out of reach of the flaying robot arms, then circled around to try to stabilize the stand to which robot was attached.

The robot has become so violent it was moving the stand across the floor. (Read more from “‘What the Machine Uprising Might Look Like’: Video Shows Robot ‘Going Berserk’” HERE)

Meet the Robot That Passed a College Class on Philosophy and Love

/0 Comments/in , /by

This semester, a robot named BINA48 successfully passed a class on the philosophy of love at Notre Dame de Namur University (NDNU), making her the first advanced robot to complete a college course.

William Barry, associate professor of philosophy and director of the Mixed Reality Immersive Learning and Research Lab at NDNU tells Inside Higher Ed that BINA48’s accomplishment was “remarkable.”

BINA48 was developed by Hanson Robots and released in 2010. She is a humanoid robot, consisting of a bust-like head and shoulders mounted on a frame. His appearance, memories, feelings and beliefs are modeled on those of Bina Aspen, a human, who is married to technology entrepreneur Martine Rothblatt.

Before she was a student, BINA48 appeared as a guest speaker for many of Barry’s classes. During one of her visits, she expressed an interest in going to college herself. Barry supported her idea and suggested she take his Philosophy of Love course.

The robotic student participated in class discussions, engaged in a class debate about the use of lethal weapons with students from West Point and ultimately received a certificate of participation signed by the provost of NDNU. (Read more from “Meet the Robot That Passed a College Class on Philosophy and Love” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Rogue Factory Robot Blamed for Death of Human Colleague

/0 Comments/in , /by

A rogue robot has been blamed for the death of a woman killed in an accident at an auto-parts factory in Michigan.

Wanda Holbrook, who worked as a maintenance technician at the Ventra Ionia Mains plant for 12 years, was “trapped by robotic machinery and pronounced dead at the scene” in July 2015.

The 57-year-old’s widower, William Holbrook, has filed a wrongful death complaint seeking damages from five robotics companies responsible for manufacturing, installing and testing the robotics: Lincoln Electric, Flex-N-Gate, Prodomax, FANUC and Nachi.

“Wanda was working in either section 140 or 150 within the ‘100’ cell, when a robot from section 130 took Wanda by surprise, entering the section she was working,” the lawsuit alleges . . .

“A failure of one or more of defendants’ safety systems or devices had taken place, causing Wanda’s death.” (Read more from “Rogue Factory Robot Blamed for Death of Human Colleague” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Check out This Freaky New Robot Created by Boston Dynamics

/0 Comments/in , /by

Boston Dynamics isn’t just in the business of creating groundbreaking new robots. They’re also in the business of building the stuff of our nightmares. The Google owned company is responsible for creating mechanical terrors such as the Cheetah, which can run faster than any human. Then there’s the PETMAN, a humanoid robot that lumbers around like Frankenstein’s monster. They’re also responsible for the Spot Mini, a machine with five limbs; and the LS3, a pack mule robot designed for the military.

Now Boston Dynamics has introduced a wheeled robot called Handle, which appears to be able to pick up more weight with its arms than any of their previous creations. It’s also capable of feats that you would have never guessed that a bipedal wheeled machine could ever do.

Coming soon to a robot rebellion near you. (For more from the author of “Check out This Freaky New Robot Created by Boston Dynamics” please click HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Rise of the Robots Will Eliminate More Than 5 Million Jobs

/1 Comment/in , /by

Over five million jobs will be lost by 2020 as a result of developments in genetics, artificial intelligence, robotics and other technological change, according to World Economic Forum research.

About 7 million jobs will be lost and 2 million gained as a result of technological change in 15 major developed and emerging economies, WEF founder Klaus Schwab and managing board member Richard Samans said in “The Future of Jobs.” The findings are taken from a survey of 15 economies covering about 1.9 billion workers, or about 65 percent of the world’s total workforce.

The blurred lines between physical, digital and biological spheres amount to a Fourth Industrial Revolution, according to the WEF, which will address the idea as the idea at its annual meeting of policy makers, academics and economists in Davos, Switzerland. It’s already a hot topic thanks in part to books such as ‘The Second Machine Age’ and ‘The Rise of The Robots,’ while Bank of England Chief Economist Andy Haldane has warned that the millions of jobs at risk from automation are creating issues officials need to address.

“To prevent a worst-case scenario — technological change accompanied by talent shortages, mass unemployment and growing inequality — reskilling and upskilling of today’s workers will be critical,” the authors said. (Read more from “Rise of the Robots Will Eliminate More Than 5 Million Jobs” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Meet Nadine, the World’s Most Human-Like Robot

/1 Comment/in , /by

The world’s most human-like robot has begun work as a university receptionist as scientists predict the new technology will eventually provide childcare and offer friendship to lonely elderly people.

With her soft skin and flowing brunette hair, Nadine does not only meet and greet visitors, smile, make eye contact and shake hands, but she can even recognise past guests and spark up conversation based on previous chats.

Unlike conventional robots, Nadine has her own personality, mood and emotions. She can be happy or sad, depending on the topic.

Powered by intelligent software similar to Apple’s Siri or Microsoft’s Cortana, she is the brainchild of scientists at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and is based on her creator Prof Nadia Thalmann.

Prof Thalmann, the director of the Institute for Media Innovation who led the development of said robots such as Nadine are poised to become more visible in offices and homes in future. (Read more from “Meet Nadine, the World’s Most Human-Like Robot” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

The X-37b’s Big Brother Revealed: Boeing Bags $6.6m Contract to Do This

/0 Comments/in , /by

2B21C16B00000578-3186484-image-a-21_1438815284013Boeing has been awarded a $6.6m contract to design a cheap, reusable mini shuttle that can launch military satellites.

The small, planelike craft is known as the XS-1 program—short for ‘eXperimental Spaceplane 1’, and could blast off in 2019 on its first test mission.

It is hoped the craft could quickly launch small satellites that could defend against the growing threat of Russian and Chinese space weapons.

XS-1 could ‘create a new paradigm for more routine, responsive and affordable space operations,’ according to DARPA, the military research arm heading the project.

The XS-1 is an airplane-like vehicle that can fly to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere and quickly boost small satellites into orbit, and then land, refuel, load up another satellite, and take off again within 24 hours. (Read more from “The X-37b’s Big Brother Revealed: Boeing Bags $6.6m Contract to Do This” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Canadian Hitchhiking Robot’s Cross-Country Trip Ends Prematurely in the City of Love

/2 Comments/in , /by

The Canadian researchers who created hitchBOT as a social experiment told The Associated Press that someone in Philadelphia damaged the robot beyond repair on Saturday, ending its first American tour after about two weeks.

The kid-size robot set out to travel cross-country after successfully hitchhiking across Canada in 26 days last year and parts of Europe. It is immobile on its own so gets from place to place by relying on the kindness of strangers . . .

The creators were sent an image of the vandalized robot Saturday but cannot track its location because the battery is dead. They said they don’t know who destroyed it or why. But co-creator Frauke Zeller said many children who adored the robot are now heartbroken. (Read more from “Hitchhiking Robot’s Cross-Country Trip in US Ends Prematurely in Philly” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

Gearing up for Robot Wars

/0 Comments/in , /by

Photo Credit: Washington Times

Photo Credit: Washington Times

Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work on Wednesday outlined the Pentagon’s plans for an advanced war-fighting strategy involving robot weapons and remote-controlled warfare.

In a speech to the Army War College Strategy Conference, Mr. Work said the “third offset strategy” will rely heavily on autonomous systems that will allow machines and U.S. technological superiority to win wars.

The strategy follows two earlier “offsets” — the use of asymmetric means to counter enemy advantages. During the Cold War, strategic deterrence and tactical nuclear arms were used to offset the Soviet Union’s ground force numerical advantages. In the 1970s, precision-guided conventional weapons were deployed to offset the quantitative shortcomings of foreign conventional forces.

Mr. Work said precision-guided warfare is reaching the end of its shelf life as foreign states have developed countermeasures.

The third offset will be designed to defeat states like China, which is developing niche, offset weapons such as anti-ship ballistic missiles and anti-satellite arms. (Read more from “Gearing up for Robot Wars” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.

‘Unnervingly Real’ Android of Popular Presenter Transvestite Becomes the First in World to Host Its Own TV Show

/0 Comments/in , /by

TransA cross-dressing Japanese television star’s robotic clone has made its ‘unnervingly real’ on-screen debut – the first android to host its own show.

Japanese engineers, who are trying to replace celebrities with human-like androids, have pushed the clone of transvestite entertainer Matsuko Deluxe into the limelight.

The late-night television personality shared the stage with his ‘Matsukoroid’ doppelganger for the first time on Saturday night.

‘It’s unnervingly real,’ said one commentator of the programme Matsuko Matsuko, which premiered at the weekend.

Mr Deluxe, who is popular in Japan for his frankness, said it was ‘fascinating’ come face-to-face with his lookalike. (Read more from “‘Unnervingly Real’ Android of Popular Presenter Transvestite Becomes the First in World to Host Its Own TV Show” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.