Introduced to Australia, this little robot, the fruit of extensive research, interpret facial expressions, asking questions, trying to understand the answers and knows even a hug when he feels a blow with his blues protected.
It measures only 40 cm but Matidla is his name, has made a splash at the conference held in Melbourne (Australia) at a conference organized by the association Aged Care Queensland, which comprises 400 members, engaged in assistance to seniors.
Since then, the information spreads like a buzz (sorry, a fuss ). However, we do not know much about it, except that it is the result of 13 years of research and that she has already spent “millions of dollars.” Its creator, Rajiv Khosla, La Trobe University (Melbourne), has enlisted the help of the University of Kyoto (Japan). The robot itself is a model manufactured for several years by the firm Nippon NEC. In March 2009, Australian university has created this company with a research center, the Reccsi (Research Center for Computers, Communication and Social Innovation), aimed at developing robots that can communicate with humans, including simulating emotions. In scientific language, it is to use the Communication “non-verbal, incorporating facial expression, intonation of voice and gestures.
Like its little brother, Jackson, Matilda is a PaPeRo , a term coined from NEC to Partner Personal Robot, robot companion staff. For years now, following a movement growing Japanese research works on the design of systems, including those robots more or less humanoid , for companionship to elderly and disabled who have difficulty moving.
Robots nice
Matilda sees, listens and speaks. It also analyzes and is able to read facial expressions. Its software and locate the gaiety, sadness or anger of the person so assisted. It can then respond to a joke, say something nice or even approach a hug. According to Rajiv Khosla, the analysis of speech goes further than just identifying words. “Matilda is a question and if it detects a negative reflecting anxiety, she notes, and can answer” Do not be anxious, I just want to help. ” “More pragmatically, it can also recall the time of medication, connect to the Internet , pay bills or contact relatives by phone.
Participants in this project, Matilda and Jackson open up possibilities in several areas. One of the initial ideas was to use the hospital, where such a robot would be able to evaluate the emotional state of a patient before and after surgery. The researchers imagine even getting help in recruiting a company or in a car, passenger seat, loaded the driver to avoid dozing … Brothers and sisters of Matilda could also think Rajiv Khosla and his colleagues, helping to advise tourists in search of a destination, analyzing their emotional reactions.