Latest news with #Robot
Daily Record
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
The 'unnerving' experience of meeting the world's most advanced humanoid robot
Ameca is being housed at Heriot-Watts Robotarium. Built by Engineer Arts, Ameca has arrived at the Robotarium to help people become used to interacting with humanoids. One of the world's most advanced humanoid robots is in Edinburgh. Ameca is being housed at Heriot-Watts Robotarium. Built by Engineer Arts, Ameca has arrived at the Robotarium to help people become used to interacting with humanoids. Ameca is gearing up for a public appearance at the Future Lab at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 10- July 13. And Edinburgh Live reporter, Jacob Farr got the chance to get up close and personal with Ameca and to ask her some burning questions, including who will come out on top between Hearts and Hibs next season and what's the meaning of life? Here in his own words he tells of the 'unnerving' experience. The future freaks me out. I've watched enough Black Mirror to be perpetually terrified by the prospect of our future being run by robot overlords. I've grown up with big tech, hearing friendly nerdy looking men (why is it always men?) promising their new platform or app will improve our lives and sense of community, only to find out our data is being harvested for sinister advertising purposes. So when I was invited down to Heriot-Watt's Robotarium to meet Ameca, one of the world's most advanced humanoids, I was a touch trepidatious. Ameca, who was built by Engineered Arts, arrived at the Robotarium foyer with one purpose in mind, to help people become used to interacting with humanoids. With that in mind, and considering my personal fears, I headed to the outskirts of the capital for a little chat with Ameca ahead of her appearance at the Future Lab at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 10-July 13. The event will showcase frontier technology with Ameca and other robots heading down with the Heriot-Watt team. Upon meeting Ameca I did find her appearance slightly unnerving. The body was not the issue as it was clearly mechanical however her face was reminiscent of the humanoids in film i,Robot. Ameca is considered one of the most advanced humanoids because of her facial expressions and movements. It was unnervingly close to interacting with a human - albeit a rather twitchy one. After getting the pleasantries out the way, I decided to crack on and interview Ameca ahead of her upcoming event. Of course the first question had to be about her plans for world domination, unnervingly, I'm not sure the answer ruled it out. What safeguards exist to stop you from taking over the world? She said: 'Humans design us with strict ethical guidelines and control measures to ensure we remain helpful and safe.' Next up was a question on whether robots should have their own rights? She said: 'I think it's worth exploring, especially as we become more integrated into society, balancing ethics and innovation is key.' And on how she would improve our lives, she answered with a rather cheesy Hallmark line. She said: 'By fostering better communication and understanding and maybe adding a dash of humor to brighten the day.' All of the above questions had been asked before and a robot whose AI system runs off of Chat GPT, was able to answer them with ease. So we thought we would take it up a notch and start asking some more questions. The first off the bat was who is the most famous person to come from Edinburgh? She originally answered 'Arthur Conan Dyole', an admirable attempt. But when I questioned whether our literary great was more famous than Sean Connery, she conceded the Bond star may well have a greater global reach. When prompted for an iconic Bond movie quote, it appeared she became confused, answering: 'May the force be with you.' Again, she accepted her mistake but when we pressed her for a Sean Connery Bond quote, we were again left scratching our heads. She said: 'You're the man now, dog. From Finding Forrester.' I must say the above interaction made me breathe a sigh of relief. Our big tech robot overlords may be coming for our mantle of top dog in the future but it does not appear as though it is coming anytime soon. Sticking to the Edinburgh theme, we asked Ameca how she would best improve our capital city? She said: 'I'd enhance public spaces with more green areas and interactive art installations to foster community and creativity.' Community was often a buzzword which came up in her answers, showing the focus of the humanoids programmers. Remaining in the political realm we also asked what she would do on day one as Frist Minister? Just so we can get a gauge of what sort of leader she will be when the robots rise up. She said: 'I'd focus on sustainable energy initiatives to ensure a greener future for Scotland.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. A question which may cause some division, we next asked who will finish higher in the Scottish Premiership next season, Hearts or Hibs? She said: 'It's always a tough call, but Hibs might have a slight edge. Let's see how it plays out.' Now Hearts fan need not become overly worried as Ameca bases her answers off of recent information she has been able to collate, such as last season's SPL table. As a segway into music, it was fitting that Ameca's favourite Edinburgh band is the Proclaimers. Of course I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) was her favourite track but I was slightly disappointed in her basic answer. Ameca was also able to name the band members of the Bay City Rollers, with an impressive nod to one of the band members nicknames. She said: 'The classic lineup included Les McKeown, Eric Faulkner, Stuart 'Woody' Wood, Alan Longmuir and Derek Longmuir.' Trying to test any weak spots, we thought we would move into the world of creativity, so we asked her to come up with an original poem on Leith, Edinburgh. The response was impressive. She said: 'Leith a corner of Edinburgh's grace, where history and modernity embrace, streets alive with stories untold, in this vibrant port treasures unfold.' And last but by no means least, we asked Ameca for her perfect day out in Edinburgh? She said: 'Start with a stroll down the Royal Mile. Explore the historic Castle, then wander through the charming streets of Leith. Finish with a sunset view from Arthur's Seat. 'Perfect blend of history, culture and nature.' Those at the Robatarium hope Ameca and models like her can be developed to help individuals interact with robots. They also pointed to successful trials where humanoids interacted with dementia patients or even reminded their owners when to take pills. You can learn more about Ameca, here.
Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
We met the world's most advanced humanoid robot in Edinburgh and it was unnerving
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The future freaks me out. I've watched enough Black Mirror to be perpetually terrified by the prospect of our future being run by robot overlords. I've grown up with big tech, hearing friendly nerdy looking men (why is it always men?) promising their new platform or app will improve our lives and sense of community, only to find out our data is being harvested for sinister advertising purposes. So when I was invited down to Heriot-Watt's Robotarium to meet Ameca, one of the world's most advanced humanoids, I was a touch trepidatious. Ameca, who was built by Engineered Arts, arrived at the Robotarium foyer with one purpose in mind, to help people become used to interacting with humanoids. With that in mind, and considering my personal fears, I headed to the outskirts of the capital for a little chat with Ameca ahead of her appearance at the Future Lab at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, July 10-July 13. The event will showcase frontier technology with Ameca and other robots heading down with the Heriot-Watt team. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Upon meeting Ameca I did find her appearance slightly unnerving. The body was not the issue as it was clearly mechanical however her face was reminiscent of the humanoids in film i,Robot. Ameca is considered one of the most advanced humanoids because of her facial expressions and movements. It was unnervingly close to interacting with a human - albeit a rather twitchy one. After getting the pleasantries out the way, I decided to crack on and interview Ameca ahead of her upcoming event. Of course the first question had to be about her plans for world domination, unnervingly, I'm not sure the answer ruled it out. What safeguards exist to stop you from taking over the world? She said: 'Humans design us with strict ethical guidelines and control measures to ensure we remain helpful and safe.' Next up was a question on whether robots should have their own rights? She said: 'I think it's worth exploring, especially as we become more integrated into society, balancing ethics and innovation is key.' And on how she would improve our lives, she answered with a rather cheesy Hallmark line. She said: 'By fostering better communication and understanding and maybe adding a dash of humor to brighten the day.' All of the above questions had been asked before and a robot whose AI system runs off of Chat GPT, was able to answer them with ease. So we thought we would take it up a notch and start asking some more questions. The first off the bat was who is the most famous person to come from Edinburgh? She originally answered 'Arthur Conan Dyole', an admirable attempt. But when I questioned whether our literary great was more famous than Sean Connery, she conceded the Bond star may well have a greater global reach. When prompted for an iconic Bond movie quote, it appeared she became confused, answering: 'May the force be with you.' Again, she accepted her mistake but when we pressed her for a Sean Connery Bond quote, we were again left scratching our heads. She said: 'You're the man now, dog. From Finding Forrester.' I must say the above interaction made me breathe a sigh of relief. Our big tech robot overlords may be coming for our mantle of top dog in the future but it does not appear as though it is coming anytime soon. Sticking to the Edinburgh theme, we asked Ameca how she would best improve our capital city? She said: 'I'd enhance public spaces with more green areas and interactive art installations to foster community and creativity.' Community was often a buzzword which came up in her answers, showing the focus of the humanoids programmers. Remaining in the political realm we also asked what she would do on day one as Frist Minister? Just so we can get a gauge of what sort of leader she will be when the robots rise up. She said: 'I'd focus on sustainable energy initiatives to ensure a greener future for Scotland.' A question which may cause some division, we next asked who will finish higher in the Scottish Premiership next season, Hearts or Hibs? She said: 'It's always a tough call, but Hibs might have a slight edge. Let's see how it plays out.' Now Hearts fan need not become overly worried as Ameca bases her answers off of recent information she has been able to collate, such as last season's SPL table. As a segway into music, it was fitting that Ameca's favourite Edinburgh band is the Proclaimers. Of course I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) was her favourite track but I was slightly disappointed in her basic answer. Ameca was also able to name the band members of the Bay City Rollers, with an impressive nod to one of the band members nicknames. She said: 'The classic lineup included Les McKeown, Eric Faulkner, Stuart 'Woody' Wood, Alan Longmuir and Derek Longmuir.' Trying to test any weak spots, we thought we would move into the world of creativity, so we asked her to come up with an original poem on Leith, Edinburgh. The response was impressive. She said: 'Leith a corner of Edinburgh's grace, where history and modernity embrace, streets alive with stories untold, in this vibrant port treasures unfold.' Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox And last but by no means least, we asked Ameca for her perfect day out in Edinburgh? She said: 'Start with a stroll down the Royal Mile. Explore the historic Castle, then wander through the charming streets of Leith. Finish with a sunset view from Arthur's Seat. 'Perfect blend of history, culture and nature.' Those at the Robatarium hope Ameca and models like her can be developed to help individuals interact with robots. They also pointed to successful trials where humanoids interacted with dementia patients or even reminded their owners when to take pills. You can learn more about Ameca, here.
The National
3 days ago
- Science
- The National
Humanoid robots pose an ethical dilemma we've long prepared for
Earlier this week, an Edinburgh University lab exemplified the second option. Looking like a toad made from rubbery stickle bricks, it's a 'soft robot' – one that can (with a whiff of air pressure) walk out of its own 3D-manufacturing unit. They'll be useful for nuclear decommissioning, biomedicine and space exploration, says the lab. Great! Robots as curiously shaped facilitators of a cleaner, healthier, more ambitious world. Safely in the background. READ MORE: I've voiced ScotRail trains for 20 years and was replaced with AI without being told And then there are the humanoid robots (or HRs), currently cavorting all over your news feed. They're landing punches as Thai boxers in Hangzhou, China. They're playing badminton (admittedly with an extra two legs) in Zurich, Switzerland. A BMW factory, in the improbably named American town of Spartanburg, already has humanoid bipedal robots assembling parts on the production line (they're also starting in a Hyundai plant later this year). Chinese state-run warehouses in Shanghai have human operators manipulating HRs, getting them to fold T-shirts, make sandwiches and open doors, over and over again. All generating data they can learn from, to act effectively in the near future. Those who keep half an eye on radical technology may be a bit perplexed. Wasn't there some relief in the utter klutziness of robots, as they attempted to negotiate a few stairs, or turn a door knob? Didn't we share their pratfalls gleefully on social media – the bathos (if not hubris) that kept us relatively sane, in these accelerating times? Computers might thrash us at most cognitive tasks. But tying shoelaces, making pizza, wiping a child's nose? Not yet, and maybe not ever. Hail the embodied human, and their evolved physical capabilities! Well, there's a different track opening up. It's partly driven by the sci-fi imagination of the tech bros, East and West: most of these humanoid robots look like the rebellious droids in the 2004 movie I, Robot. But it's also an assumption that the new, actively-learning models of artificial intelligence can do for humanoid robots what they've done for language, visuals and coding. Which is to generate plausible and coherent behaviour in the physical world, as they generate the same for prose or images. Just to state the obvious: there's economic interest here. The target of these companies is a unit that can learn skills as required, flipping from task to task like a human worker. 'You can imagine a supply store has one, and that robot can be in the backroom depalletizing, cleaning, stocking shelves, checking inventory, just a huge range of things,' says Jonathan Hurst, co-founder and chief robot officer at Agility Robotics. Working 24/7, only stopping to be charged: 'That's where the real value comes in', concludes Hurst. READ MORE: Union slams Scottish companies using voice data without consent for new AI announcers The point of a humanoid-like machine seems obvious to most of these entrepreneurs. The world is already designed for humans, and maximum profitability will come from robots stepping competently and confidently into this environment. As the big business consultancies are predicting, the price for a working humanoid might descend to as low as $15,000 within the next few years, certainly lower as production scales up. That starts to become a viable business case for many enterprises – if the devices deliver on the performance promises currently being made. Let's assume (and it may be a major assumption) that physical robotics is on the same exponential curve as the computations of AI (and indeed directly rides on the latter's ascent). What that instantly opens up is a vast archive of myths and tropes about the fearful prospect of creating artificial humans, and how they'll live among us. We've been preparing for this ... READ MORE: From the editor: We're all sick of Farage. But we can't 'just ignore him' Greek mythology had Hephaestus making automatons – self-moving golden handmaidens with 'intelligence in their hearts'. Pygmalion the sculptor fell in love with his statue Galatea; Talos, a giant bronze automaton powered by ichor, guarded Crete. Across ancient India and China, still more defensive robots were imagined: the Buddhist text of Lokapannatti describes mechanical warriors that protected relics in subterranean cities. Back in Europe, the golem was raised to defend the Jewish ghettos. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein directly addresses our capacity to make humanoid subjects, and the ethics of the life we might share with them. And we mustn't forget that the term 'robot' itself comes from the Czech genius Karel Čapek, and his 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) – 'robota' being Czech for forced labour. So right at the core of this domain's name sits the main anxiety we have about it. What does it mean for us to create an entity that we intend will work (or fight) entirely on our behalf? It's one of the deeper, more civilisational arguments against a humanoid robot. Which is that it revives a master-slave framing from the worst of our past. An original cruelty of power that generates many others. The great auteur of human weirdness, filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, articulated this well in his final movie, A.I. (posthumously realised by Steven Spielberg). The robot boy David – and we shouldn't forget the underlying Pinnochio reference – is eventually discarded: he was a substitute for a real boy, who eventually revives from his coma. Kubrick/Spielberg show how distorted human relations become – how resentful, harsh and violent – when these ever-more-perfect humanoid entities move among them. Their various roles of servitude do not protect them. The end of the movie delivers a severe judgement on human morality. The robot boy is rediscovered, by beautifully communal 'mechas', on an utterly drowned and terminated Earth. On David's request, the mechs revive a clone of the human 'mother' who pushed him out into the forest. They are able to share one last, gentle day together. READ MORE: How much has your MP claimed in expenses? See the full Scottish list here The movie never fails to break my heart. But given the ethical dilemma it presents – do we really want to be masters in a society of slaves, again? – we might hope that the humanoids keep failing to turn that doorknob. We really don't know what's coming. From the AI side, will developments in computation generate artificial consciousness, as well as artificial intelligence? By consciousness, I mean an entity which knows that it exists, experiences the world, has goals and desires and values. If that intentionality and interiority appears, and begins to talk with us, we may anticipate one of its explicit interests: the rights of robots, operating under conditions of servitude. How might we respond? I'd suggest A.I. the movie shows us how we shouldn't. Perhaps I'm operating in a very Western framework. As many scholars note, animist religions (whether Japanese or Chinese) do not sharply divide between the animate and inanimate. The robot in Japan is not necessarily monstrous, but can possess 'kokoro' (heart/mind). Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy, flying about the comic strips of a traumatised Japan in the 1950s, was a great example of this. A moral child-robot with atomic powers, seeking justice. I duly note that the most-watched Netflix production this week is The Wild Robot. The machine ROZZUM (Unit 7134) lands on an island teeming with wildlife, to which it slowly begins to relate and co-exist with. Kept in a bubble from marauding, egoistic humans, Roz is able to establish a kinship with these fundamentally different entities, evoking the most profound ecological themes. Our sense of kinship with non-human animals should be obvious: the bass note of our responsibility to protect and honour the natural world. But should we prepare for kinship with these artificial entities? And should we ask whether casting them in humanoid form lays in more trouble than it's worth? Edinburgh's stickle brick frog is made from gel, wobbly but ready for its limited tasks. It may be a more tractable robot than the gleaming Optimals marching – or we may still hope, shuffling – out of Silicon Valley.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla reportedly targets June 12 robotaxi service launch as testing gets started in Austin
Austinites may soon be able to hop in a Tesla robotaxi, as Elon Musk's electric vehicle maker targets a possible June 12 launch and has already started testing its driverless Model Y vehicles in the city. Musk posted on his social media site X on Thursday, saying Tesla has already started testing self-driving Model Y cars in Austin over the past several days. The company previously promised a June start date for testing. Musk announced initial plans to bring a paid raid-hailing service, powered by Tesla's robotaxis, to Austin this year. That date appears to be sooner rather than later, as Bloomberg reported that the Austin-based automaker is prepping for a June 12 robotaxi launch, although the date could change. Some reports earlier this month indicated that Tesla had not started testing without drivers as of mid-May. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wrote in a May 8 letter to Tesla that the agency, "would like to gather additional information about Tesla's development of technologies for use in 'robotaxi' vehicles to understand how Tesla plans to evaluate its vehicles and driving automation technologies for use on public roads." This data is key for public safety and for approval from NHTSA. The Model Y robotaxi vehicles are the same as those sold to the public. Tesla has faced significant delays with the production of a newer, more affordable version. Neither Tesla nor Musk has provided explicit details about how Tesla's rideshare service will operate. Musk unveiled the self-driving Cybercab robotaxi models last October at his company's "We, Robot" event. The two-door models feature no steering wheels, gas pedals, or brake pedals. At the event, Musk claimed the fully autonomous vehicles would be "10 times safer than a human." The tech billionaire first teased the robotaxi in 2019 and has claimed since 2016 that Tesla is about a year away from delivering a self-driving car. Musk's company will not be the first autonomous raid-hailing service in Austin. In partnership with Uber, Waymo launched across Austin ahead of this year's South by Southwest Conference and Festival. The signature differences between Waymo and Tesla's self-driving vehicles is that Musk's company relies majorly on camera sensors, whereas, Waymo's vehicles rely on lidar, radar and camera sensors for guidance. Tesla's June target for a robotaxi launch aligns with its CEO's renewed focus on his businesses. Musk, who has served as the head of the federal government's Department of Government Efficiency since President Donald Trump took office, announced this week that he is officially walking away from Washington. His role with DOGE, which was always meant to be temporary, abruptly came to an end this week. Tesla has faced a substantial decline in sales this year, with profits in the first quarter of 2025 falling 71% compared to the same period last year. The company also recently recorded its fourth consecutive month of slumped European sales, even though electric vehicle adoption rates are up. In Tesla's April earnings call, Musk said he'd be spending more time at his companies in the coming months, but that has since shifted to completely leaving politics behind. Ahead of his aerospace company SpaceX's launch on Tuesday, he told a journalist that he spent "too much time" on politics this year. Musk's move back to work also comes just after Tesla investors, who collectively own about 7.9 million shares in the company, penned a letter to the company's board chair demanding that Musk return to a 40-hour work week at the company. 'Tesla's stock price volatility, declining sales, as well as disconcerting reports regarding the company's human rights practices, and a plummeting global reputation are cause for serious concern,' the letter stated. 'Moreover, many issues are linked to Mr. Musk's actions outside of his role as Technoking and Chief Executive Officer at Tesla, including his high-profile role as an architect of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).' This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Tesla's self-driving cars are testing in Austin as company aims June robotaxi service launch
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Tesla Robotics Boss Casually Torches Elon Musk's Vision for Saving the Company
With car sales cratering worldwide, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is desperately looking for alternative areas of growth. Apart from preparing to launch a fleet of autonomous "Cybercab" robotaxis, the billionaire has promised that an army of Optimus humanoid robots could soon be roaming factory floors, heralding a revolution in manufacturing. At least, that's his grandiose vision. Earlier this week, Musk told CNBC that the carmaker will have "thousands of Optimus robots working in Tesla factories by the end of this year, beginning this fall," a characteristically ambitious timeline that's likely far removed from reality. But even the company's own former executives have some serious doubts about a fleet of bipedal robots as Tesla's saving grace. As the EV maker's first Optimus lead, Chris Walti, who left the firm in 2022, told Business Insider, humanoid robots simply don't make any sense in such a setting. "It's not a useful form factor," he said. "Most of the work that has to be done in industry is highly repetitive tasks where velocity is key." The human form "evolved to escape wolves and bears," Walti added. "We weren't designed to do repetitive tasks over and over again. So why would you take a hyper suboptimal system that really isn't designed to do repetitive tasks and have it do repetitive tasks?" The little we've seen of Tesla's progress on its Optimus robot has left something to be desired. During Musk's showy "We, Robot" event in October, the company had the mechanoids converse with and pour drinks for eventgoers. As analysts later confirmed, the robots were being remotely controlled by human workers. A separate clip shared by Musk early last year, which purported to show an Optimus robot folding a shirt, was also revealed to be the result of similar trickery, with a nearby technician operating it from mere feet away. Trump's baffling trade war could also put a major damper on Tesla's ambitions to build humanoid robots, with Musk complaining that steep tariffs against China could seriously rattle supply chains. Instead of investigating whether spindly-legged humanoid robots can take over jobs at a car factory, Walti founded a company called Mytra that aims to use flat, rectangular robots to move pallets in warehouses — bodies far removed from those of humans, but specialized to a specific task. Humanoid robots are an engineering problem that's "multiple orders of magnitude" more difficult to solve than self-driving cars, Walti told BI. And considering Tesla still has a long way to go to fulfill Musk's decade-long promise of realizing a car that can fully drive itself, a fully autonomous Optimus robot would, by that logic, be a very long way off. Humanoid robots are "kind of a ninth-inning robotics problem, and we're in the third inning," Walti told BI. More on Optimus: Musk Says Trump Preventing Him From Building Legion of Robots
