Meet the dancing robot (or let them introduce themselves)

The video below was taken during a final year module of Artificial Intelligence Techniques by one of the students, Devan Gokani. The session looked at social robotics and chatbots. As well as the robots, the students also played with the multi-award winning Mitsuku chatbot http://www.square-bear.co.uk/mitsuku/chat.htm

The robot show below is an Aldebaran NAO robot.


All views and opinions are the author's and do not necessarily reflected those of any organisation they are associated with. Twitter: @scottturneruon

BCS Northampton 27th June 2017 - Connectivity Theme - with robots!

27th June 2017 - Connectivity Theme

Social robotics is a growing area of new robotic products, new crowd funded projects in this area are regularly started. In this short talk a brief history and the purpose of social robotics is discussed, followed by meet the robot.

We will also have an update on IOT.

Room NW205 Newton Building, Northampton University.

7:00pm Doors open

7:30pm Lecture start

I get to talk about social robotics and bring some along. The event is free and open both BCS members and non-members.

All views and opinions are the author's and do not necessarily reflected those of any organisation they are associated with. Twitter: @scottturneruon

Social Robotics for Primary School children

A member of the Computing Team presented a talk on Social Robotics (with a little help from a Red friend) to an audience of primary school children as part of Lab_13's Lectures at Wollaston School, Northamptonshire.

Red performed walking with three of the children and the presentation included discussion about the robots JIBO and Buddy that are expected this year. 

Red @NaoRobot from @UniNorthants @UoNComputing of to Wollaston School for @Lab_13Irchester lecture @STEMatUN pic.twitter.com/IF4HTVyYa1

— Scott Turner (@scottturneruon) March 18, 2016

Social robots meet red and smurf from Scott Turner

A change I would like to make is to bring along an OhBot (a bit like the one in the video below) as well as including OhBot in the revised presentation slides.



 All views and opinions are the author's and do not necessarily reflected those of any organisation they are associated with.

Exploring robotics with Red and Smurf

In an in-reach STEAM activity day I have had the opportunity to show off two NAO robots in action to a group of 8-years olds. As well presenting a short presentation on social robots (see below). By the way Red and Smurf are the nicknames for the two robots.

Meeting our robots at our #science day for girls pic.twitter.com/0XwllXL40s

— Chris Fidler (@Chris_UNPR) March 3, 2016

Meet Smurf and Red at Girls S.T.E.A.M. @UniNorthants @scottturneruon @Changemaker_Hub @nick_petford pic.twitter.com/ZMt07ZrSVh

— STEM at UN (@STEMatUN) March 3, 2016

Buddy will be in homes soon Girls into S.T.E.A.M. @scottturneruon @UniNorthants @Changemaker_Hub pic.twitter.com/1jIsU8IKon

— STEM at UN (@STEMatUN) March 3, 2016

Social robots meet red and smurf from Scott Turner

If you'd like to find out more about Computing at the University of Northampton go to: www.computing.northampton.ac.uk. All views and opinions are the author's and do not necessarily reflected those of any organisation they are associated with

Teaching with NAO- social AI

NAO robots were used, in my teaching at least, to teach social AI for the first time this week. The session revolved around the using social cues and, to certain extent, using natural language through chatbots for us to communicate with machines.

The robots were used as an example of a social robot, and the way we want to play with or work with them without having to going through a steep learning curve on to use them. Students were encouraged to consider why this was and that anthropomorphisation plays a part (NAO basically has some of the characteristics of a small child). The fact that it responds to voice commands, its looks, has a childlike voice, that it always moving (even slightly including when it is standing) and the way it moves; were spotted by the group as ways it attracts us to it - it is really hard not to talk to it like a child sometimes (perhaps that is just me).

This activity was also included with the use of chatbots (one example used is shown above) and AIML, Artificial Intelligence Markup Language, (a link to more AIML is included below). The chatbots were used to show how we can create intelligent-like behave by in effect providing responses to questions. Followed by, how we then take this further by using the responses people give, while using the chatbot, to 'fine-tune' the model.

To read more about NAO robots go to https://www.aldebaran.com/en

To read more on AIML go to http://www.alicebot.org/aiml.html

Example chatbots

• ALICE http://alice.pandorabots.com/ (the one shown in the picture above).
• Mitsuku http://www.mitsuku.com/
• An example of an MSc student's work on Chatbots  http://computingnorthampton.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/msc-student-work-chatbot-innovative.html

All views and opinions are the author's and do not necessarily reflected those of any organisation they are associated with

Aldebaran NAO robot in Teaching

Photo by John Sinclair

I had my first opportunity today to try an Aldebaran NAO robot as a teaching tool in an AI class today at the University of Northampton. The session was an end of term activity around summarising what we did in the AI class so far and questions. 

A question came up around AI and it's impact on society. Perfect opportunity to bring in a social robot - especially as a precursor for when we include a session on social robotics next term.

The robot was part of the investment in STEM teaching part-funded by HEFCE.


All opinions in this blog are the Author's and should not in any way be seen as reflecting the views of any organisation the Author has any association with.If you'd like to find out more about Computing at the University of Northampton go to: www.computing.northampton.ac.uk. All views and opinions are the author's and do not necessarily reflected those of any organisation they are associated with