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.
JF - IEEE 8th International Conference on Development and Learning, 2009. ICDL 2009 PB - IEEE CY - Shanghai SN - 978-1-4244-4117-4 ER - TY - CONF T1 - Sociable robot improves toddler vocabulary skills T2 - 2009 4th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) Y1 - 2009 A1 - Movellan, J. A1 - Eckhardt, M. A1 - Virnes, M. A1 - Rodriguez, A KW - Algorithms KW - autonomously operated robot KW - Early Childhood Education Center KW - Educational institutions KW - Educational robots KW - Games KW - human factors KW - Human-robot interaction KW - intervention period KW - Pediatrics KW - Robot sensing systems KW - robotics KW - sociable robot KW - social aspects of automation KW - time 2 week KW - toddler vocabulary skills KW - Ubiquitous computering KW - Vocabulary AB -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.
JF - 2009 4th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) PB - IEEE CY - La Jolla, CA SN - 978-1-60558-404-1 ER - TY - CONF T1 - A barebones communicative robot based on social contingency and Infomax Control T2 - The 17th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, 2008. RO-MAN 2008 Y1 - 2008 A1 - Tanaka, F. A1 - Movellan, J. KW - Actuators KW - barebones communicative robot KW - Communication system control KW - Delay KW - Detectors KW - Human robot interaction KW - human-model updating capability KW - humanoid robots KW - Hydrogen KW - Infomax control KW - man-machine systems KW - Pediatrics KW - policy improvement KW - Robot control KW - Robot sensing systems KW - Scheduling KW - social contingency AB -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.
JF - The 17th IEEE International Symposium on Robot and Human Interactive Communication, 2008. RO-MAN 2008 PB - IEEE CY - Munich SN - 978-1-4244-2212-8 ER -