Apple’s new research robot takes a page from Pixar’s playbook | TechCrunch
Last month, Apple proposed to understand their consumer robotics using research, which claims that such features as expressive movements are the key to optimizing the interaction of a robot. “Like most animals,” the report begins, “people are very sensitive to movement and subtle changes in movement.”
To illustrate its point of view, Apple pays tribute to Pixar, another company based on the late Steve Jobs. Since Pixar first made his debut in the 1985 short film, Luxo Jr. LAMP served as a longtime talisman of the animation studio. For her study, Apple also chose a lamp for her own “non -anthropomorphic” example. In the end, the lamps do not have obvious human features, but they can be made to behave familiar.
“In order for robots to more naturally interact with people,” the article notes, “the design of the robot movement must also integrate expressive qualities, such as intention, attention and emotions, along with traditional functional considerations, such as the fulfillment of tasks and the effectiveness of time.”
A video released in combination with paper demonstrates some of these movements. It is not surprising that they mainly repeat those who are created by the Pixar. This includes the same similar details, and the lampshade serves the head, while the hand stands for the neck.
The most intriguing part of the video, in relation to potential products, as a user requests a robot. The simplest, unnamed lamp robot works as a more kinetic version of Homepod, Amazon Echo or other smart dynamics. The person standing in front of the lamp asks the request, and the robot responds to Siri in the voice.
A video with a separated screen emphasizes the importance of expressive movements. When asked what the weather is outside, one version simply indicates the answer. The other turns his head to look out the window, as if the view offers an understanding of what a robot can draw. This is a simple example, but the one that moves home, as even small movements join the Pareidolia of our lizard. Acquaintance of expressive movements helps to form a connection between a person and an object.
Apple studies are received, as the company reporteds that it increases its efforts on consumer robotics in anticipation of the planned production of the more advanced Smart Home system. It is clear how this knowledge can be applied to make a robotic home center more expressive. This is similar to the approach that Amazon accepted with his Astro robot. However, the inclusion of a non-anthropomorphic form factor in the study implies that the robot can be even less humanoid than that of Amazon.
Rumors surrounding the upcoming release described the hub as “the hand of the robot with the attached iPad.” It is easy to see how you can use the form -factor lamps there. Of course, the Apple unit of consumer robotics, in the visible one, is still a stage of research. A lot can happen between this from time to time, from a serious transition to forms -factor to the decision to pull the project to launch.