Researchers at Toshiba have developed a talking robot that functions as a voice-operated universal remote control for multiple home appliances. The 2.3 kilogram (5 lb), 21 x 27 centimeter (8 x 11 in) prototype robot, named ApriPoko, learns how to operate various remote controls by watching and asking questions. ApriPoko sits in the living room and waits for you to use a remote control. When its sensors detect infrared rays emitted by a remote, the robot speaks up: "What did you just do?" it asks. Tell ApriPoko what you did ("I turned on the stereo" or "I changed to channel 321," for example), and it commits the details to memory. Then, next time you want to turn on the stereo or change the channel, simply tell ApriPoko and it transmits the appropriate IR signal directly to the device. The prototype robot is still in the development and testing phase, but Toshiba hopes to have a viable product soon.
[Source: Asahi]
Neil Duckett
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!
[]Karel
Well, what should I say......great creative idea, however too much product / technology driven. The developers should think from a user scenario: The last thing I would like to do is, to shout to my TV "change to CNN channel". I remember having this feature on one of my first notebooks (Compaq) in the early 80s. I could give commands like 'enter' or 'page up/down' etc.. Was nice for a sec, and if it worked!
[]Voice recognition is simply not that mature. It is standard on each Nokia phone, but still 0,0000001% of the people are using it. (Try it: just press 'Names' button on your Nokia phone for 2 secs, and bleep you get the command 'Speak now'. Then just shout the name you want to call. You'll see.....) it works but just not good enough. People rather browse through a name list to find a phone#.
So dear Mr Toshiba, work on the technology of voice recognition (actually speech recognition) and you only may have to tackle the first problem (that one of use cases).
Good luck, and avoid copying the Aibo form factor!!
noah
well there's your problem, you don't shout at most devices, you just talk normal only a little bit more clearly
[]Kevin
Are you really trying to compare technology from your laptop made in the 80's to a prototype robot created 30 years later?
I think this thing looks cool
[]XrisP
Wait, wait wait... Are you actually comparing several different development levels of voice recognition onto something new? I'm betting your new computer sucks too cause it doesn't benchmark well, like my old emachine. See, not a viable comparison.
VR has gone leaps and bounds from its days just as Dragon Speaking. Research done into accents and local vocal patterns has made it a viable addition to anything. If you don't calibrate the device and it doesn't work, or you just can't speak a language known to man thats your fault.
Your comparison from the Nokia phone is hilarious. I've known enough actual business men/women who use it every day, and outside of business more than enough to account for its inclusion in every phone. For everyone else, they don't even know the feature is there. They are so used to searching that they do it by rote. Teach every one of your friends to set up every name just like that or just to use it and you'll see a huge difference.
Finally, this is a niche product. If you didn't want something like this, you're not going to use/buy it. It also brings forth a question of whats going to happen next? Even if the consumer base isn't here in America or in the UK, there might be enough somewhere else.
Don't throw everything new and completely different into your ultimate ideal. Just because you have had horrible history its your fault. DS has advanced since the 80's, the technology behind voice recognition has advanced to where it can recognize the local your living in and still understand what your saying. Unless you have no actual words used in mainstream language (like ignant and a'in'u'it) within your vocabulary, you can operate the voice function on your phone.
I'm going to give this product a chance, at last IR is being used with more modern technology than basic universal controllers. I forsee the future product that ApriPoko comes from also will have BlueTooth and wireless connectivity.
Give this type of niche product a chance, i bet you will be surprised.
[]DensityDuck
I can't wait to see the kind of spam these things pick up.
Me: "Turn on the television."
[]It: "I can offer you a great deal on TELEVISION!"
Me: "No. Just turn on the TV."
It: "Are you sure that you want to pass up this great deal on TELEVISION?"
Me: "Turn on the goddamn TV!"
It: "Do you want to look at porn?"
Me: "NO! TURN ON THE CHRIST-DAMNED TELEVISION!"
It: "I really think you should look at porn."
ME: "Where's the damn remote control?"
It: "He...went away. Maybe you should look at porn instead."
Me: "NO! I JUST WANT TO WATCH TELEVISION!"
It: "I'm actually being paid to make you look at porn instead. Now sit down and LOOK AT THE PORN, puny human."
Me: (weeps)
RICK-O
Then it will aim it's IR arm at you and threaten to melt your brains from the inside out with it's downloaded upgrade it got from the history channel.
[]ninethcircle
well one ever said it has to recognize cnn...
[]the article also said it does everything by asking YOU questions,
so it already knows EXACTLY how you say TELEVISION and ON and ONE, TWO etc because YOU ALREADY SAID THEM TO IT. lol it doesn't need to be perfect for people to like it, usually in a given household only a couple people would be using it and it wouldn't have to recognize allot of voices for people to be pleased with the product...it does look like it wants to kill people tho............
Judazz69
SOLD...i'll take 2 pls.
[]Ben
Turn on TV with remote
Both bots: "What did you just do?"
You: Turn on the TV.
Later.
You: Turn on TV/
Bot 1: sends power signal - turns TV on
Bot 2: sends power signal - turns TV off
DANGIT!
:P
2 for different Tv's... well that's a different situation ;)
[]Alish
it sounds great. Guys there always is an ammature before the professional. Im ready to take one as well. Absolutely adorable :)
[]Kenn
Sounds nice, but would it not be quicker/cheaper to just pick up the remote and hit a button?
[]KyleLT
May be quicker to use the remote but what about when that remotes on the couch on the other side of the room? You really expect me to get up to change the channel?
[]Nathan
Maybe, but it's not as cool.
[]Shran
I wonder how many times you'll hear "Could you repeat that command ?" when you're having a serious cold. Otoh, Maybe it could learn the subtle differences of your voice. "I suggest you stop drinking master, you sound a little drunk"
[]Tha Dickenz
If anyone has doubts as to how far along speech recognition is, you should go test drive a Ford with SYNC. I tell it to play a song, and it does. Heck, even sometimes with loud passengers and the windows down. Also, the article points out that it is in testing... I doubt they are testing which color will sell more. I think the real question is, "How much?" I will purchase a dozen traditional remotes before this if its too far above 250-ish.(Some hi-end universal remotes are anywhere from 80-130, so I gave them plenty head room for profits...)
[]Wolfie Rankin
Voice recognition is ok if you're in the US but if you're an Aussie...
Please tell me who you want at the beep
*beep*
Mr Harrison
I'm sorry, there's no Mr Banana working here, if you think you got the name wrong, please try again.
Sorry, but we hate voice recognition, americans too.
I can hit a button, done.
(but it might be good for the disabled if they can get it working)
Wolfie!
[]Wolfie Rankin
We hate (voice Recognition), so do Americans... forgive me, it's 3am.
[]genewitch
a 3 AM you become intolerant of other cultures and countries?
[]fakename
haha i think we americans might have deserved that, but wolfie prolly knows how intolerant we are....thus the correction.
[]gmatyas9154
Having a robot ask me what I have done every time i hit a button on the remote might be a little annoying.
[]Ryan
So did anyone else immediately think of the universal remonster episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force after seeing this?
[]leftfoot
completely.
[]hrh
upscale it 10,000% and it would make a viable missile defense system
You: eliminate the incoming Canadian missiles
Giant Robot Penguin: I'm sorry, could you repeat that?
You: shoot down those gorram nukes!
Giant Robot Penguin: Acknowledged! shooting all Buicks within detectable range!
*the neighbor's Enclave goes up in flames*
[]Steven
Do you think it'd work for TiVo too?
[]david
totally would rather have a fucking robot to yell at than a laptop
[]asfand
this concept is so amazing how it could do this but yet again scientists have proved how lazy the human has become after pampering with all sorts of tech just like this laptop i am using
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