This paper explores the process of self-guided learning of realistic facial expression production by a robotic head with 31 degrees of freedom. Facial motor parameters were learned using feedback from real-time facial expression recognition from video. The experiments show that the mapping of servos to expressions was learned in under one-hour of training time. We discuss how our work may help illuminate the computational study of how infants learn to make facial expressions.
}, keywords = {Actuators, Emotion recognition, face detection, face recognition, facial motor parameters, Feedback, Humans, learning (artificial intelligence), Machine Learning, Magnetic heads, Pediatrics, real-time facial expression recognition, Robot sensing systems, robotic head, Robots, self-guided learning, Servomechanisms, Servomotors}, isbn = {978-1-4244-4117-4}, author = {Wu, T. and Butko, N. and Ruvulo, P. and Bartlett, M. and Movellan, J.} } @conference {63, title = {Sociable robot improves toddler vocabulary skills}, booktitle = {2009 4th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)}, year = {2009}, month = {03/2009}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, address = {La Jolla, CA}, abstract = {We report results of a study in which a low cost sociable robot was immersed at an Early Childhood Education Center for a period of 2 weeks. The study was designed to investigate whether the robot, which operated fully autonomously during the intervention period, could improve target vocabulary skills of 18-24 month of age toddlers. The results showed a 27\% improvement in knowledge of the target words taught by the robot when compared to a matched set of control words. The results suggest that sociable robots may be an effective and low cost technology to enrich Early Childhood Education environments.
}, keywords = {Algorithms, autonomously operated robot, Early Childhood Education Center, Educational institutions, Educational robots, Games, human factors, Human-robot interaction, intervention period, Pediatrics, Robot sensing systems, robotics, sociable robot, social aspects of automation, time 2 week, toddler vocabulary skills, Ubiquitous computering, Vocabulary}, isbn = {978-1-60558-404-1}, author = {Movellan, J. and Eckhardt, M. and Virnes, M. and Rodriguez, A} } @conference {61, title = {A barebones communicative robot based on social contingency and Infomax Control}, booktitle = {The 17th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, 2008. RO-MAN 2008}, year = {2008}, month = {08/2008}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, address = {Munich}, abstract = {In this paper, we present a barebones robot which is capable of interacting with humans based on social contingency. It expands the previous work of a contingency detector into having both human-model updating (developmental capability) and policy improvement (learning capability) based on the framework of Infomax control. The proposed new controller interacts with humans in both active and responsive ways handling the turn-taking between them.
}, keywords = {Actuators, barebones communicative robot, Communication system control, Delay, Detectors, Human robot interaction, human-model updating capability, humanoid robots, Hydrogen, Infomax control, man-machine systems, Pediatrics, policy improvement, Robot control, Robot sensing systems, Scheduling, social contingency}, isbn = {978-1-4244-2212-8}, author = {Tanaka, F. and Movellan, J.} }