Free Republic

Supervisors in San Francisco voted Tuesday to give city police the ability to use potentially lethal, remote-controlled robots in emergency situations — following an emotionally charged debate that reflected divisions on the politically liberal board over support for law enforcement. The vote was 8-3, with the majority agreeing to grant police the option despite strong objections from civil liberties and other police oversight groups. Opponents said the authority would lead to the further militarization of a police force already too aggressive with poor and minority communities. Supervisor Connie Chan, a member of the committee that forwarded the proposal to the...

Boston Dynamics and five other robotics companies have signed an open letter saying what many of us were already nervously hoping for anyway: Let's not weaponize general-purpose robots. The six leading tech firms — including Agility Robotics, ANYbotics, Clearpath Robotics, Open Robotics and Unitree — say advanced robots could result in huge benefits in our work and home lives but that they may also be used for nefarious purposes. "Untrustworthy people could use them to invade civil rights or to threaten, harm, or intimidate others," the companies said. "We believe that adding weapons to robots that are remotely or autonomously...

TESLA is ramping up its plans to build an army of humanoid robots. According to Reuters, Elon Musk's firm wants to deploy thousands of the androids, known as Tesla Bot or Optimus, within its factories.... Longer term, Musk said at a TED Talk robots could be used in homes, making dinner, mowing the lawn and caring for elderly people.

The three AI models that comprise the solution were a laugh detector, a shared laughter predictor, and a laugh type selector. Each of these models was trained using data from a human-robot speed dating conversation database. The scientists used data from over 80 speed dating dialogues between Kyoto University male students and a remote control robot called ERICA teleoperated by one of four amateur actresses who were in a different room while communicating through the android’s speaker. ERICA is also capable of non-verbal communication such as eye gaze, gestures, and nodding the head. The participants tried to get to know...

"Not content with just spying on your online purchases, way too big leftist megacorp Amazon (founded by Jeff Bezos, who still owns the DC ComPost sleezepaper, which murders our Republic daily no matter the lighting or weather) today dropped iRobot into it’s cart. The move adds to Amazon’s holdings of 40 subsidiaries and counting. Among the companies they already use to spy on and control you are: Amazon itself (duh), FreeVee streamer..."

Facing a growing threat from China, the Navy envisions drone ships keeping an electronic eye on enemy forces across the vast Pacific Ocean, extending the reach of firepower, and keeping sailors out of harm's way. The Navy is speeding development of those robotic ships as an affordable way to keep pace with China's growing fleet while vowing not to repeat costly shipbuilding blunders from recent years. The four largest drone ships are being used together this summer during a multination naval exercise in the Pacific Ocean. Other smaller waterborne drones are already being deployed by the Navy’s 5th Fleet in...

A video of a robot dog firing bullets from a submachine gun mounted on its back has gone viral on the internet, raising concerns if we are actually using technology to such effect, Vice reported. When Boston Dynamics' Spot trots on the floor of a factory or takes a walk on the footpath, he seems like the neighborhood-friendly dog that you can trust. It also helps that the company remains adamant about not using its technology as a weapon. However, it does not take long for someone else to put that idea into action, like in this video below. robot...

Changing your idea of what robots can do – that’s the slogan of Boston Dynamics. Founded in 1992 by Marc Raibert as a spin-off company from MIT, its early days were spent making training videos for the navy. Only later did the company begin delving into the world of robots – amassing a level of expertise unsurpassed throughout the industry.In fact, Boston Dynamics’s achievements look like the opening montage from a science fiction movie. Starting with the cumbersome BigDog – a quadruped robot designed for the military – the company has seen each new generation of robots surpass the last...

(video) In 2020 I became immersed in the marvelous world of quadrupedal robots. Viewing YouTube videos of robots such as SPOT by Boston Dynamics, and the MIT Mini Cheetah has inspired me to make my very own. These cleverly crafted bots are known for their dynamic movements and realistic appearances. Over the past year, I've made it my personal goal to create my very own affordable quadrupedal robot. One that could function similar to the high-end quadrupeds. Here I present ARES, a fully 3D printed 12 DOF robot dog capable of omni directional travel as well as many other maneuvers....

The scientists behind the invention say a mechanical hand fitted with the smart skin showed a remarkable ability to learn to react to external stimuli such as a jab in the palm. It uses a new type of processing system based on 'synaptic transistors, which mimics the brain's neural pathways in order to learn' to feel pain. Experts have been working for decades to build artificial skin with touch sensitivity, with one widely-explored method featuring an array of contact sensors across an electronic skin's surface to allow it detect when it comes into contact with an object. But these sensors...

Researchers in China say they have developed a process to clone pigs entirely through the use of robots — a development that may help the world's largest pork consumer reduce its reliance on imported breeding pigs. In March, a surrogate mother gave birth to seven cloned piglets at the College of Artificial Intelligence at Nankai University in Tianjin. "Each step of the cloning process was automated, and no human operation was involved," Liu Yaowei, a member of the team that developed the system, said. Liu added the use of robots had also increased the success rate of the cloning process...

As employers across the country look for ways to fill gaps in the workforce, many are increasingly turning to automated technology and robots for help. While the turn to automation is certainly not a new phenomenon, it has become a balm for companies trying to meet demand in a recent tough market, according to the Wall Street Journal. Robot orders are up 40% in the first quarter of 2022 and 21% overall in 2021, according to the Automation Development Association, putting the industry value at an estimated $1.6 billion. “People want to cut the workforce,” the CEO of Ametek Inc....

Can collaborative robots work with humans? Robots are filling more jobs than ever before, a trend that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, a shrinking pool of willing workers and new innovations that reduced the cost of automation for smaller companies. FAIRFIELD, Ohio — Editor's note: An earlier version of this story erroneously reported the cost of the cobot at the Fairfield Skyline. A Skyline restaurant in Fairfield has a new server that rolls through a 12-hour shift while treating customers to songs like "Happy Birthday" and the "Skyline Time" jingle. While it isn't getting paid hourly, it costs about...

Elon Musk is clearly bullish on Tesla (TSLA), the potential of Twitter (TWTR), and the Optimus robot. "I was surprised that people do not realize the magnitude of the Optimus robot program," the Tesla CEO said on the company's earnings call late Wednesday. "The importance of Optimus will become apparent in the coming years. Those who are insightful or who listen carefully will understand that Optimus ultimately will be worth more than the car business and worth more than full self-driving, that’s my firm belief." Tesla first revealed the Optimus robot — also known as Tesla Bot — at an...

The robots zip around hospitals delivering medicine and other supplies. Vendor Aethon has patched five critical vulnerabilities in hospital robots used to deliver medical supplies. The world of health-related cybersecurity issues is still relatively untouched. In recent years, we've seen the impact of ransomware outbreaks in hospitals; software vulnerabilities including those that could, in theory, stop a pacemaker from working, and countless patient data leaks at providers worldwide. However, unless there's a clear-cut financial benefit, many cyberattackers will ignore medical devices in favor of hitting businesses likely to provide them with illicit revenue. This doesn't mean that vendors, or defenders,...

DALLAS — Yes, those 7-foot-tall machines at Dallas Love Field are watching you. They want to make sure you’re wearing a mask if you’re boarding a flight or not parking too long at the curb if you’re picking up a returning traveler. Love Field is testing out two Security Control Observation Towers at the airport, one near baggage claim and another near security checkpoints, to figure out whether robotic assistants can both help customers get around and warn passengers who are breaking rules. The robots can also contact airport security and operations in case more help is needed. While not...

Kawasaki, best known for its motorcycles, debuted a four-legged rideable robot at the world's largest robot trade show last week. The robot, Bex, was created by the company's Kaleido program, which has been working on developing humanoid robots in Japan since 2015. Spectators got their first view of the robot at the 2022 International Robot Exhibition (iREX) in Tokyo. Videos from the event show the dexterity of the goat-shaped robot, which can alternate its limbs like Boston Dynamic's robot dog. The Bex can also lower itself and transport itself on wheels — a move that the program's lead engineer, Masayuki...

The robotics program will take place in nearly one-third of the company’s locations.Midwestern fast-food chain White Castle is outsourcing some of its jobs to robots.The hamburger chain announced plans this week to install Miso Robotics' "Flippy 2" in 100 locations.The Ohio-based chain has been experimenting with the robotic fry cook since September 2020, when the original "Flippy" was installed in a Chicago area restaurant. After upgrading to "Flippy 2" at the original test location in November 2021, White Castle decided to roll out a larger version of the program."By taking over the work of an entire fry station, Flippy 2...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk says the electric vehicle maker's upcoming humanoid robot, Optimus, also known as the Tesla Bot, can help solve labor shortages, particularly the one the U.S. is currently experiencing. The tech billionaire described the humanoid robot, which was unveiled during Tesla AI Day in August 2021, as the "most important product development we're doing this year" during the company's earnings call Wednesday. Moreover, he said it might be the solution to the labor shortage the U.S. is facing at the moment. "The foundation of the economy is labor [and] capital equipment is distilled labor," Musk said.

What would the Metaverse be without ultra-realistic humanoid robots waiting for you when you decide to step out of it? Say hello to Ameca, a humanoid robot with the most realistic facial expressions and mannerisms that you’ve ever seen. Pretty soon you won’t be able to tell the difference between reality and fantasy, and maybe that’s the whole point. “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to...