Robot evolution

[Robert Zwilling]

As the size of the mobile robot decreases to make it look more human I would suspect that it's strength and power also decreases. The batteries have to be somewhere, they constitute bulk, the smaller they get the less range it has, the more often they have to recharged, which probably doesn't last very long now anyway. The more powerful work they can do the harder it is to keep balance and agility in a small package. Lighter weight humanoid robots seem to be more for the service industry rather than the blue collar industry as originally envisioned. The look is also less intimidating which is needed more in a service setting than in a warehouse setting.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

AI-narrated books are here. Are humans out of a job? The article goes on to say that one company is paying the human narrators for the use of their voice when it is used to train the AI narrator how to vocalize words in other languages the narrator doesn't speak.

While on the surface it looks great, paying someone for the translations of their voice into languages they don't speak, it doesn't look too good for people who actually speak multiple languages or for people who speak the languages the translations need to made in. Basically they are throwing one person a bone while there is a pack waiting to be fed.

They could probably use a person's voice to create new voices which would net one person royalties while many others who would have got something now get nothing.

 

[Harpo]

Mushroom learns to crawl after being given robot body

Biohybrid machine ushers new era of robotics, scientists say

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Pyan]

I, for one, welcome our new fungoid overlords!

 

[psikeyhackr]

Mushroom learns to crawl after being given robot body

Biohybrid machine ushers new era of robotics, scientists say

www.independent.co.uk

Sounds like a way to make neurotic mushrooms to me.

Is there a Freudian mushroom in the house?

 

[AllanR]

Mushroom learns to crawl after being given robot body

Biohybrid machine ushers new era of robotics, scientists say

www.independent.co.uk

Goldfish too

A 'fish-operated vehicle'? Scientists teach goldfish to drive and find they're good at it

The test subjects were successfully trained to navigate a "fish-operated vehicle" past obstacles and to a target at the opposite end of a room in return for a fish food reward.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Vertigo]

Goldfish too

A 'fish-operated vehicle'? Scientists teach goldfish to drive and find they're good at it

The test subjects were successfully trained to navigate a "fish-operated vehicle" past obstacles and to a target at the opposite end of a room in return for a fish food reward.

www.nbcnews.com

Here's a short Reuters video of the same story.