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Self-Taught Einstein Bot Learns to Smile

by Leila Brillson on July 12, 2009 at 11:01 AM



In another step towards self-awareness, researchers at University of California, San Diego have developed a robot that teaches itself facial expressions. The realistic Einstein bot formerly required individually programmed facial movements, but through a trial-and-error technique UCSD has dubbed 'body babble,' the AI experiments with its mug until it achieves a real expression.

Linked to facial recognition software, each time robo-Einstein experimented with a position that was an actual expression, it received positive feedback. Next time it 'body babbled,' its motors had a bias towards already established emotional displays, and a type of experimental learning evolved through the bots random movements.

Marian Bartlett, co-author of the study, told Wired.com that the motivation behind the study "is to try to understand some of the computational principles behind learning. Here the computational principle is reinforcement learning and active exploration." She likens the experience to an infant learning how to communicate. Presented last month at the 2009 IEEE 8th International Conference on Development and Learning, the researchers believe this is the first time a robot was self-taught to manipulate its own visage.

The Switched staff is split between whether this is endearing or creepy, but either way, it's pretty convincing (don't miss the video below). While Einstein's 31 facial muscles don't compare to a human's 43, the facial emotions certainly look realistic. [From: Wired.com]

Tags: ai, bot, experiment, learning, robot, science, top, weird

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