Apple Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (ai) framework that will allow non-Humanoid robots to express their engagement and engage with humans. Dubbed Elegint, The Framework Focuses on Non-Verbal Communication via movements, postures, and gestures. AlongSide Focusing on Task Completion, The Framework Specialies in Allowing Robots to Express Internation, Attention, Attention, and Emotions with movements. Researchers claimed that this will make working with robots a more immersive and engaging experience for users. The capabilities were also tested with human participants.
Apple Develops Frameworks to Let Robots Express Via Movements
In a post, the cupertino-based tech giant detailed the new AI Framework. This is aimed at non-nonthropomorphic robots, or robots that do not look like humans (Contain Limbs and a Central Head). While Humanoid Robots Have an Easier Time Engaging Users Due to their Familiar Physical appearance, Working with Non-Humanoid Robots Can often Feel Cumbersome.
To bridge this gap, the elective framework trains robots to express intenses and emotions using movements, postures, and gestures. These movements do not have any impact on the robot’s task fullfilment and are added just to make human interaction immersive and engaging.
The framework encompasses the hardware design process as well as adds software-based training. The Apple Researchers Outline a Set of Interaction Scenario Storyboards that include behavior sequences in different functions and social-oriented tasks. “Our Findings Indicate that Expression-Driven Movements Significantly Enhance User Engagement and Percented Robot Qualities,” Researcres Claimed. A paper documenting the process has been published in the Online Pre-Print Journal Arxiv.
In a demonstration, the researchers showcased the expressive capabilities of non-humanoid robots in a lamp-like prototype robot. In a video shared by the company, the lamp (which resmbles pixar’s luxo jr. character )C Follow Hand Gestures to Direct the light at highlighted spots. The movements were also designed in a way that Gave the impression that the robot was trying to understand the command, nod in agreement, and complete it quickly.
Apple Researchers also tested the movements and expressive capabilities of the robot with 21 participants. The tests inclined functional tasks as well as social tasks such as playing music or engaging in conversations. One participant noted in the paper that without the playfulness of the movements, interaction with a lamp Robot would feel “Annoying Rather than welcome and engaging.”
