1. The document summarizes a presentation about robotics given by Andreas Heil on December 11, 2006.
2. It discusses definitions of robots, current and potential applications of robotics in areas like healthcare, entertainment and education.
3. It also covers challenges for robotics like costs, cultural acceptance, learning vs imitation behaviors, and ensuring robots can be safely integrated into everyday life.
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Ethics of AI
1. ERO Technology Group
Presented by
Ethics of AI
Andreas Heil
Date
11. December 2006
About Potential, Limitations and
Concerns in Robotics
2.
3. Intelligent Robotics
There are many misconceptions in the public mind about the
capabilities of artificial intelligence in general and intelligent
robots in particular. As intelligent behaviours become
embedded in everyday equipment, there is an increasing need
to understand the huge potential of these new technologies,
as well as their limitations. This workshop will review not only
the latest developments in intelligent robotics and promote
discussion of the challenges they present, but also question
the desirability of research into different application areas and
review public concerns regarding the quest to create
'conscious' robots.
4. Definition: Robot
A robot is an electro-mechanical device that can perform autonomous or pre-
programmed tasks. A robot may act under the direct control of a human (e.g. the
Canadarm on the space shuttle) or autonomously under the control of a
programmed computer.
Wikipedia
1. Mechanical device programmed to perform tasks
Any machine that can be programmed to carry out instructions and
perform particular duties, especially one that can take over tasks
normally done by people
2. Imaginary machine like human
A machine that resembles a human in appearance and can function like
a human, especially in science fiction
3. Person like a machine
Somebody who works or behaves mechanically, showing little or no
emotion and often responding to orders without question
4. Traffic light
South Africa - a set of automatic traffic lights
Encarta Dictionary
5. Definition: Robot
A robot is a device, hard- or
software with the capability
of sensing and (re)acting.
6. Robotics Market Potential
Service and consumer markets just emerging
• Remote assistance/presence
• Assistive
• Facilities maintenance
• Security
• Education
• Entertainment
Why Robotics Research at All?
•High market expectation
•Demographic push in health & elderly care
•Longer working times – people spend less
time at home
•Service in the public
Military
•300 units x 800k * Source Japan Robotics Association
7. 3
2
1
20
05
Real vacuum cleaner
Filtering unnecessary Information
Household devices (Microwave, Fridge)
20
Robot with integrated communication capabilities1
07
Robot loading dishwasher2
20
10
Tourguide3
Development Trend
Robot adapting to individual needs
Gaming robot
Learning about new environments by taking a tour of it, after that it can re-give that tour.
20
Robot helping handicapped people
15
Increasing Software Challenges
Ironing robot
Proactive robot
Robot understanding human activities
20
20
24h assistant
Companion for elderly people
* Source EURON Workshop 2005
8. Microsoft & Robotics
Experience Groups
Systems Microsoft Research
• PC Ecosystem (desktop, web, • Enabling Technologies
mobile, home) • Human Robot Interaction
• XP, XP Embedded, CE (real-time) • Personal Robotics
• Educational Robotics
Development Environment and Tools • Programming Environments
• Programming IDE Microsoft Robotics Groups
• Debugging and Optimization
• Microsoft Robotics Group
Existing Applicable Technologies Redmond
• Center for Innovative Robotics
• Speech Carnegie Mellon University
• Real-time Communications • External Research Office
• Infrastructure Cambridge
9. New Requirements
New Requirements
• Ultra Heterogeneity
• Distributed Environments
• Dynamic Configuration
• Context-Awareness
• Personalization
• Extensibility
• Reliability
• Security
• Privacy Protection
• Usability
• Autonomy
• …
Ubiquitous computing environments should be deployed incrementally
• Living space is not a demonstration room
• We like to replace existing objects
How can software infrastructures help to decrease the complexities?
10. Challenges to Address
Future Applications
• Support & care, education, entertainment
• Timesaving, repetitive work
• Have a servant, companion
Personal Robotics
• Human-robotics Interaction
• Mediator between Digital/Real world From nature to
• Natural and Affective Interaction (speech, software models
gestures, emotions)
• Adaptive to individual needs
What is needed so that robots could be
successfully integrated in our everyday life?
What are the key technical issues?
11. Come more Challenges
• Costs
When a human is in danger, robots can do this work on behalf, then
maybe, the costs are a minor issue
• Robot’s image is cultural depended
> We will never accept a Japanese robot because of its cultural differences
> Its important to build a robot corresponding to your culture
• Japan vs. Hollywood
> Japan, friendly TV-series
> Hollywood, dangerous, instable
Bring me a cup of tea…
• Acceptance
> Emotional component
> Robot as a luxury
• Learning vs. Imitation
> “Do I really want it to play as bad chess as I do?”
12. VRDK – A Research Prototype
• Building a compelling & engaging
Programmable Environment
• Innovative, very easy, flexible
Programming Environment for Robot
control applications
• Accessible to non technical audiences
(children, nurses, elderly, machine
operators)
• Enables a ‘Path’ from very simple
(beginner, child) to professional (using
Visual Studio)
Abstracting complexity on different levels
Source Code Visual
13. Domain Specific Language
Visual N#
Users can switch between
• Domain-specific both notations
graphical language
• Extension of VRDK
• Easy to design
Code Translator
N#
• Domain-specific
textual language
• Easy to read and write
C# / VB.NET
• General purpose
programming language
• Don’t write code
anymore
14. N# - A Textual Notation for Visual N#
ambient MyAmbient @ Person
where filter ($1.Company == „Microsoft Research“),
filter($1.Location == „Cambridge"),
filter($1.SecurityLevel > 2) {
discover Lights @ Light
where distance(a),
filter($1.Color == „green");
process OnLampAdd @ l = Lights.Added {
l.On();
}
process OnLampRemove @ l = Lights.Removed {
l.Off();
}
a = 100;
}
15. AI
• A lot of the AI will stay in its virtual world
• Only limited connections to the real world
• Responsibility
16. The Microsoft Robotics Studio – Tools No Rules*
A lightweight concurrency and services oriented runtime
• Handling of sensory input and controlling actuators
• Based on synchronous message passing
• Decentralised System Services (DSS) facilitating tasks and
basic services such as debugging, logging, monitoring,
security, discovery and data persistence
Authoring/development tools
• Visual programming editor
• Simulation
• Message debugging
Technology libraries and basic algorithms
• Code samples and documentation
* AI2005
17. Runtime Environment
An application is a composition of loosely-coupled services concurrently executing across
scopes
• Interactions described using service contacts
• Components are networked
• Provides isolation between components
> Reliability – ability to restart independently, replaceable/updatable
> Parallelism
y
dar
oun
UI
B
ion
Main Port
ic at
A ppl Main Port
Service
Private Port
Code
State Main Port Service
Main Port
Code
Main Port
Private Port State
Private Port
Service
Service Code Service
Code State Code
State State
H/W H/W
* Example: Model car + sensors
23. Outlook
• VRDK
> Research Prototype
> Proof of Concept
• Microsoft Robotics Studio
> Available as CTP (November CTP)
> Improved Visualization
> Package based Deployment
> Wrap up for final version end of Dec 2006
> CCR / DSS maybe available as separate DL
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/robotics/
• N#
> Ongoing research
> Publications etc.
> Visual Studio integration
> http://research.microsoft.com/ero/
Discuss: What do you see? My Answer: The opportunity for 50,000 robots within the next few years/decades Announcement of Korean Government -> at least on robot per home within the next years (maybe 10 years) Already test area with 10,000 households to be populated with robots -> Question: Is it already I,Robot like? Japanese/Asian are more willing to adapt
Embedded in everyday equipment: PDA, Speech Recognition, addressed in research, see N# Potential: we will see “the” standard slide later on Limitations : I will talk about this later Latest development: Here we go – that’s the reason I am here Public concerns: somethin about MS Research and the ERO Mission
Two definitions from Wikipedia and Encarta, I liked especially the one of the traffic light in south Africa However address they address the mechanical aspects Robot from the polish language, introduced in 1930s by Issac assimov in one of his early novels – and stands for workers – there is some responsibility
Our one, clear definition. As you can see it is simple – but there is not a lot of intelligence. Actually also a piece of software can
Less work at home – service in the public – sound to me like ROBOT by its origin definition - worker
Increasing software challenges, but also increasing responsibilities, 24h assistant, companion, pro-active robots
Where and why does Microsoft as a company fit in there?
Yellow: re-invent the slavery
The Visual Robotik Development Kit is a first approach in building an unique visual programming environment. By abstracting from underlying source code, the VRDK enables non technical audience or groups of persons nor familiar with this certain domain of technology to access and program its functionality. Thereby the VRDK allows abstracting on different levels. Abstract models can be used as well as a in-depth look into source code is provided corresponding to the audience, from beginners up to experts.
TBD
TBD
TBD
Tools – no rules This Microsoft thing is just sitting there, without the manufactuere doing anything, nothing happens --- Improved CCR and DSS Runtime We’ve made some significant improvements that has doubled message throughput within node (between services) and between nodes. XML footprint has been reduced by half. Peak message throughput on multiprocessor machines is now close to 90,000 SOAP messages per second, between services on the same node, and 2,500 messages between nodes (using TCP or HTTP, full serialization). A scalable, extensible runtime architecture that can span a wide variety of hardware and devices. The programming interface can be used to address robots using 8-bit or 16-bit processors as well as 32-bit systems with multi-core processors and devices from simple touch sensors to laser distance finding devices. A set of useful tools that make programming and debugging robot applications scenarios easier. These include a high quality visual simulation environment that uses for software physics supplied by the Ageia Technologies PhysX engine. A set of useful technology libraries services samples to help developers get started with writing robot applications.