Ji-Dong Yim and Chris Shaw, scientists in Simon
Fraser University’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT),
are the proud parents of a robotic cell phone family that can walk,
dance and express human-like emotions.
-
Yim, a doctoral student, and Shaw, an associate professor, first used cell phone technology to create Cally, a physically active robotic cell phone that stands roughly 16 centimetres high. She walks, dances and mimics human gestures. She can also help cell phone users make electronic eye contact with the person to whom they are talking by tracking human faces.
The SIAT researchers have most recently used wireless networking, text messaging and other interactive technologies to give birth to Callo. He is taller (almost 23 centimetres) and more emotionally sophisticated than his older sister.
Callo’s viewing screen registers text-messaged emoticons as human-like facial expressions. His robotic shoulders can slump and his arms can start waving frantically if he’s interactively triggered to respond to an emotional crisis, such as relationship break up.
“Imagine you are video-calling with me through Callo,” explains Yim. “When you move your robot, my robot will move the same, and vice versa, so that we can share emotional feelings using ‘physically smart’ robot phones.”
Shaw, Yim’s doctoral supervisor, says the two are developing a wide range of human-robot cell phone service scenarios and prototypes of Cally, Callo and their siblings. He adds, “We’re using them to explore ways in which we can help social robotic products, such as GPS, interactively communicate with people and build long-term intimacy with them.”
Yim lives in Surrey and Shaw is a New Westminster resident.
-
-
Yim, a doctoral student, and Shaw, an associate professor, first used cell phone technology to create Cally, a physically active robotic cell phone that stands roughly 16 centimetres high. She walks, dances and mimics human gestures. She can also help cell phone users make electronic eye contact with the person to whom they are talking by tracking human faces.
The SIAT researchers have most recently used wireless networking, text messaging and other interactive technologies to give birth to Callo. He is taller (almost 23 centimetres) and more emotionally sophisticated than his older sister.
Callo’s viewing screen registers text-messaged emoticons as human-like facial expressions. His robotic shoulders can slump and his arms can start waving frantically if he’s interactively triggered to respond to an emotional crisis, such as relationship break up.
“Imagine you are video-calling with me through Callo,” explains Yim. “When you move your robot, my robot will move the same, and vice versa, so that we can share emotional feelings using ‘physically smart’ robot phones.”
Shaw, Yim’s doctoral supervisor, says the two are developing a wide range of human-robot cell phone service scenarios and prototypes of Cally, Callo and their siblings. He adds, “We’re using them to explore ways in which we can help social robotic products, such as GPS, interactively communicate with people and build long-term intimacy with them.”
Yim lives in Surrey and Shaw is a New Westminster resident.
-
-
Latest from Dan Comand
- WEG Automation Fault Analyzer for iPhone, Android and Blackberry
- Two auto industry majors honor KUKA Systems for supplier excellence
- Creaform introduces C-Link for faster and easier inspection of complex parts
- Mitsubishi Electric Automation debuts dedicated packaging website
- Québec's aerospace sector honours its commitment to encouraging students to stay in school
|
|
|
Featured Videos
-
Philip Harting, senior vice president of Harting Inc., spoke with DPN editorial director Mike Edwards at last week's Hannover Messe 2012. Harting spoke about the importance of the annual trade fair, the emergence of his company on the global stage, the need for corporate governance on carbon dioxide emissions and on Harting energy management technologies.
-
See Video...
Harting has launched its RJ Industrial 10G Ethernet connector. Rated IP20 for the office IT environment, the lockable, 8-wire RJ45 requires no tools or expertise to assemble. An angled version is also available.
-
See Video...
With Creo 2.0, PTC has introduced a new role-specific app supporting modular product design that extends how organizations can approach concept design, and is said to deliver significant productivity enhancements to its existing Creo apps. Raphael Nascimento, PTC product management manager, explains.
-
See Video...
The live video signal from a Pepperl+Fuchs LS680 Ethernet optical data coupler on an automated storage and retrieval system can be used to correctly position the pallet within minutes from a remote location like a control room.
-
See Video...
Demonstration of SpaceClaim Engineer 2012, a multi-purpose 3D CAD tool that performs direct modeling operations on parts and assemblies.
-
See Video...
At Hannover Messe 2012, Andre Brauers, Turck Industrial Automation product manager for linear position sensors, encoders and inclinometers, describes the latest in rotary position sensing technology.
Popular Articles
