Meet Qbo, the robot. Created by Francisco Paz, Qbo is able to use recognition software in conjunction with pre-programmed responses to recognize its own image.
In the video below, the lime-green Qbo transits to the "Object Recognition" state from its internal state machine, to learn to recognize its mirror image, as if it were a regular object. Technically, how does Qbo do it?
According to it's YouTube Description:
The "Object Recognition" state is implemented to execute simultaneously different ROS nodes: one responsible for the head and base movement; another to select an object from the image using the stereoscopic vision; another to recognize objects or learn new ones. The object recognition algorithm uses "SURF" descriptors and the "Bags of Words" approach (through the OpenCV library), and stores images in Qbo's internal storage system.
Qbo has several stored answers and behaviors in an internal knowledge base, that we upgrade as the projects evolves, to make questions or orders to Qbo such as "What it this? or "Do this". Qbo interprets the object "Myself" as a an ordinary object, for which it has special answers in its internal knowledge base such as "Woah. I'm learning myself" or "Oh. This is me. Nice". Qbo selects its reflection in the mirror in the image that he sees using the stereoscopic vision, and one of our engineers interacts (speaks) to him so that Qbo can learn to recognize himself as another object. For direct interaction, Qbo uses the open-source software Julius for speech recognition (in the video, you see how Qbo receives the order to turn around, and he responds to it by moving its base 90 degrees), and Festival for voice synthesis.
Omg! Shame on Dodge for sending such a horrific message!
Poor robot, I can't believe the man just went all Dexter on his ass, and then drives off recklessly through the streets. What's wrong with this picture?
But.... I did like the futuristic bathroom, kitchen, the clothes changer thingy, bracelet-activated door, and the dog walker :-)
The Japanese are at it again. Well, this time with the help of their Danish counterparts they have created their first ever Robot with a Goatee. The Geminoid DK, yes there's even a facebook page. When I first saw the image online I thought he was human, but no, I was wrong.
American scientists were first when it came to the bearded robot, but like almost everything else, we are behind with the times. What is this country to do? Lord, by the time our children have grown up, America will be the Land of the Lost instead of the Land of the Free. We've fallen behind on the space race, with China on the verge of major space exploration. In 20 years we'll no longer be the world's largest economy, our healthcare system is out of whack, and as far as education is concerned, we are in a downward spiral. Instead of taking political terrorism or GLBT classes in college (sorry Guillermo), maybe we should be focusing on Math or Science.
Enough of my ranting, watch the creepy robot below.
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- Blade 7184 aka Peter
