Friday | 21 November, 2008

Features

Artificial Intelligence gets real
Artificial intelligence projects are moving from the lab to the real world.
Neal Weinberg (Network World) 24/06/2008 10:20:55
The future of AI is here: It's just widely distributed. If your definition of artificial intelligence is a humanoid robot that can walk, talk, and chew gum then AI hasn't yet delivered on its promise. But just wait. AI researchers are making major strides in developing machines that can perform human functions. Here are some examples. Care-O-bot: Robotic helper for the elderly or handicapped. Care-O-bot is a mobile robot assistant designed to assist elderly or handicapped people in daily life activities. Care-O-bot can manipulate simple objects found typically in home environments. It is equipped with a manipulator arm, adjustable walking supporters, a tilting sensor head containing two cameras and a laser scanner, and a hand-held control panel. Care-O-bot is a development of the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) in Stuttgart, Germany. Luke: Mind-controlled prosthetic arm. Segway-inventor Dean Kamen has been working on a mind-controlled prosthetic robot arm, under a federal grant. Dubbed "Luke," the arm gives the user the same degrees of movement as a natural arm, and is sensitive enough to pick up a piece of paper, a wine glass or even a grape. The mind control part: in one scenario the user controls the arm through existing nerves. Phoenix: NASA's man on Mars. The Mars lander is able to navigate on the surface of the Red Planet. Phoenix's 7.7-foot robot arm has been digging in the Martian soil and ice for 2.5 hours per day, delivering samples for analysis. NeuroArm: It's not brain surgery...Oh, it is brain surgery. NeuroArm is a surgical robotic system, developed at the University of Calgary, that can do delicate brain surgery. The robotic arm works in conjunction with imaging equipment to enable physicians to manipulate tools at a microscopic level. Ultra Hal Assistant: Your digital secretary and all-around e-buddy. Ultra Hal Assistant is described as a digital secretary that uses AI to understand spoken English commands and to learn over time. Ultra Hal (or Helen if you prefer a female version) can remember anything you tell it, automatically dial phone numbers, remind you of appointments, do Web searches, launch applications, etc. etc. Roomba: A floor-cleaning robot. iRobot has a line of robotic products, including a vacuum cleaner (Roomba), floor washer (Scooba), gutter cleaner (Looj) and shop floor vac (Dirt Dog). Dexter (not the serial killer): Walk like a man. Dexter has flexible joints, driven by air cylinders. It can walk on hard or soft surfaces, can run over uneven ground and can even jump. Dexter is built by Anybots. iLimb Hand: Bionic man hands. Touch Bionics has developed a prosthetic with five individually powered digits. The i-Limb uses a two-input myoelectric (muscle signal) to open and close the hand's life-like fingers. Boss (not to be confused with The Boss): Robot Chevy drives itself to the levee. Carnegie Mellon's robot Chevy won the recent DARPA Urban Challenge (the prize was $2M.) The self-driving SUV won the competition by following California driving laws, navigated a course in a safe and stable manner, and hitting the finish line first. Flame: Walking the walk. Researcher Daan Hobbelen of TU Delft developed a new, highly advanced walking robot that can in turn help people with walking difficulties through improved diagnoses, training and rehabilitation equipment. Clearflow: Taking it to the streets. Clearflow was developed by AI researchers at Microsoft to apply machine learning to the problem of urban traffic jams. The Web-based service claims to be able to give drivers accurate alternative route information because it predicts where drivers will go when they move off of congested main roads.
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The future of AI is here: It's just widely distributed. If your definition of artificial intelligence is a humanoid robot that can walk, talk, and chew gum then AI hasn't yet delivered on its promise. But just wait. AI researchers are making major strides in developing machines that can perform human functions. Here are some examples.
The future of AI is here: It's just widely distributed. If your definition of artificial intelligence is a humanoid robot that can walk, talk, and chew gum then AI hasn't yet delivered on its promise. But just wait. AI researchers are making major strides in developing machines that can perform human functions. Here are some examples.
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