A LEGLESS virtual android called Adonis has been taught to "dance" the macarena as a first step in a project designed to help robots learn by imitation.
The computer simulation has been developed by Maja Mataric from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Victor Zordan of Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta and Zachary Mason from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Their chief aim, says Mataric, is to create mechanisms that robotic hardware and software can use to learn any task.
Earlier work had established that humans look at their tutor's hands when learning a physical routine, such as the movements associated with a dance. But when we actually come to do it, the correct arm, head and neck movements follow. Our own set of behavioural primitives-the basic movements on which more complex ones are based-means that when we do something with our hands, the rest of the body follows automatically.
Mataric says imitation is extensively used by animals and could make robots much more flexible. Although it is possible simply to copy control software from one robot to others, because each is unique they will not do the job as well as they would if they had "picked it up" by observation.
Before Adonis can start to watch and learn, he first needs a basic set of behavioural primitives to build upon. So the researchers decided to teach him to make the arm and hand movements of the macarena. They decided to simulate a dance because it is easier to spot when Adonis has got it right. More subtle movements would be harder to evaluate. "If you like the macarena, you'll know if it's right or not," says Mataric.
She adds that the macarena is ideal because it involves distinct movements that can be broken up into easily learnt parts. In the dance, the hands are moved and placed on different parts of the body. Mataric says the changes in direction and speed in the dance will provide useful points for splitting up the behaviours later.
Author: Mark Ward
New Scientist issue 18th July 1998, page 11
PLEASE MENTION NEW SCIENTIST AS THE SOURCE OF THIS STORY - THANK YOU
Journal
The New Scientist