Nexi, is an M.D.S. (Mobile/Dexterous/Social) Robot coming from the geniuses of MIT Media Labs Personal Robots Group in collaboration with Xitome Design, UMASS Amherst's Laboratory for Perceptual Robotics, and Meka Robotics. Built to the size and relative weight of a 3 year old child Nexi has a combination of mobility, dexterity, and human-centric communication and interactive abilities. It has the arm strength capability to lift up to 10 pounds and is able to move about on two wheels at a steady and even pace. And it's head and neck is able to move and gesture at human speeds to allow it to nod, shake, tilt, and orient much like that of a human neck.
According to MIT:
The purpose of this platform is to support research and education goals in human-robot interaction, teaming, and social learning.
The face has the amazing ability to convey human emotions and facial expressions such as anger, confusion, sadness, curiosity, and happiness among 16 degrees of other facial expressions easily recognizable. It can do this by utilizing the eyebrows, gaze, eyelids, and an articulated mandible (the mouth) for expressive posturing eerily close to our own.
To end this post I'd like to point this sentence out to you from the Xitome Design website about the M.D.S. Robot:
The robot is roughly the height and weight of an adolescent child,with a strength-to-mass ratio that allows it to interact safely with humans.
Interact "safely" with humans?! I can't wait for a creepy 3 year old sized robot to attack me in the future with an angry lifeless stare when the Robot Wars begin. ;)
Press Play to watch or head to YouTube - [Link]
Found via Gizmodo- [Link]
Further Information can be found here on these links provided. I highly suggest you check out the MIT Media Labs link since it has a ton of information about Nexi and other projects.
MIT Media Labs Personal Robots Group - [Link]
Meka Robotics - [http://mekabot.com/]
UMASS Amherst's Laboratory for Perceptual Robotics - [Link]
Xitome Design - [Link]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjRXyWFLkEY
A robot that "pops" its"p's"? unless its voice is made up of thousands of badly recorded samples? otherwise its just animatronics not robotics?
Anyone?.....
Well, it is a pre-recorded speech sample used. If ever robots would talk they would probably use a speech synthesizer much like the ones used in computers.
From what I've read about the M.D.S. Robots is that they are being created to be used as helper robots (very much like those being developed in Japan) for the elderly, lab work, and AI development, as well, as other applications.
yeah...
I'm going to barricade my house now...
but yea.. it is odd that "they" make robots to look like humans, eh? i mean, i guess it's the whole "humans want to rule the world" mentality that influences the need for human-like robots. we're so self centered. it's probably to make them seem to pose as little threatening as possible. "Hey, maybe if we make them look like us nobody will be afraid!" yea, great idea... and when someone programs a couple to feel pain and think for themselves, we'll see how cute they are then. @Deram Maras: i'm right behind you.
UMass Amherst, represent.