Robot News: Meet Erica, Japan's new robotic news anchor!

in #ai7 years ago

The world of science fiction and the world we live in today are not so far apart it seems as the gap seems to narrow just a bit as each day passes!

Did you think in 2018 that there would already be robot citizens and news anchors running around? Did you know that driverless cars, automated flying drone taxis and electric semi trucks with autopilot function would dominate the news?

If the answer is no, you and I would be on the same page. The stuff of Star Trek, Star Wars and Total Recall is slowly becoming more real and its either adapt or protest, I see no other alternatives.

In today's article I will discuss Japan's newest robotic news anchor, Erica. She was designed to look like a lifelike 23 year old. What's more is that she may soon become a TV news anchor in Japan, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Hiroshi Ishiguro, the director of the Intelligent Robotics Laboratory at Osaka University created Erica in hopes that his android would replace a human news anchor on the airwaves as soon as April.

There are a few things that Erica the android does really well which may satisfy qualification requirements for the job. Firstly, the android can recite scripted writing and sit in a chair. If you haven't noticed, this is pretty much what news anchors do all day!

What may set Erica apart from other artificial intelligence, however, is her charisma, Ishiguro has said. Erica is capable of holding a conversation with humans, thanks to a combination of speech-generation algorithms, facial-recognition technology and infrared sensors that allow her to track faces across a room, the Daily Mail reported.

While she cannot move her arms yet, Erica can move her facial features, neck, shoulders and waist independently, Ishiguro Laboratories said, allowing her to respond to human speech with uncanny autonomy.

According to the Daily Mail, Erica has been described by her creator as being so lifelike that she could "have a soul."

I had trouble believing this when I read it but it certainly peaked my interest. Take a quick look at the video below and let me know what you thought of it in the comments section:



Based on my impressions of the video I think Erica has a long way to go before qualified to become a TV news anchor but I may just be too picky, who knows?

One thing that can not be disputed is that the pace of progress in the field of robotics has never been swifter and the breakthroughs computer scientists are making in AI and voice recognition will play a very important role in developing androids and robotic technology.

I've already been shocked at the progress made in 2017 and I would imagine that 2018 is going to hold even more surprises for technology lovers and haters alike.

What do you think about Erica? Does this android have what it takes to become a TV news anchor or do you think there's more work that needs to be done before it is suitable to do the task?

Thanks for reading @techblogger!

Source:

Meet Erica, Japan's Next Robot News Anchor - Live Science

Image Source:

Live Science

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Dystopia is near, if you want it. I’d much rather see children do the news, they are much more adorable and organic. In fact I would much rather see children run the world than AI, not children in adult bodies, actual children.

I try to present the news in an unbiased way but obviously my personal opinions make it into my posts as well. I'd rather not live in a dystopia but I feel the world has already become one in many ways. We must fight to stop it from declining even further into chaos!

I don’t need think you sounded biased. I was just using humor to cover up my discomfort at the news. I’m not against AI, I just don’t think we are mature enough to handle it.

I'm afraid of the future. Everything is being automated & most of the jobs are also being replaced by robots.
The future is not bright but very dull. More Unemployment, More Diseases, More Laziness & what not. The robot would be getting more preference than humans if this continues. Technology is good & is a must but I fear this is going to effect the life of the humans negatively.

Be brave. If you don't like something that is changing, say it and speak your mind. The meek will not inherit the earth, only the strong have a claim on the future!

It's good, it's for the betterment of the world but I can only hope that the technology won't rule over the mankind.

Awesome! She looks like a real human. The age of terminator will be real haha

Wow sooner or later we going to lose our jobs to the robots!!!

A.I. and robotics are moving at a fast pace and this could change the world, with autonomous driving and smart technology runing around and automated assistance in our homes , things are changing fast, hope we dont end up with terminator

She's far too cute to be a terminator. Soon they will be making uglier models that look like Arnold to satisfy consumer demand for extinction style robots... Be patient!

The future of robot and artificial intelligence is here . Already a sex robot called Samantha is in the market . It's just a matter of time then the robots with be replacing humans . Instead of sending soldiers in the front lines , robots will be doing that work . It is a high time we embrace technology .

No doubt this is an awesome invention....This could change the world...But im afraid that Robots will replace the humans in future

Soon people - robots will enter our life this is undeniable...But here's how they will behave in the future it's baffling.Any glitch or hacking and there can be trouble!Good post good luck to you @techblogger !

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I still like sophie better 😉😂

Well, I'm sure Erica and Sophia will be friends!

That would be something cool to see!

I don't know what the research and development funds are being used for in Korea. Other countries are developing ...Maybe we should focus quickly and develop good robots. Don't use the R&D funds when dining together.

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Thank you

Interesting video,

Hello dear already I followed you, I hope you also follow me.
Thank you

So when does the AI war start 😂😂

I heard somewhere about a robot getting rights of a citizen. What has world turn towards to.

Finally we welcome Future :)

She can visit Sophia in Hong Kong and start a dialog with her^^

Hello dear already I followed you, I hope you also follow me.
Thank you

Yes, i am following you too! Have a nice day :)

This is amazing!

Will Erica be joining Steemit?

You made a good call here,keep up the good work

Japaneses always ahead of robotic technology this is the grate example.but i wonder where this AI leading us to ?

most jobs done by humans will be replaced by technology, algorithms and artificial intelligence, it's just a matter of time. we need to go back to class, or else we will be irrelevant. just like those who did not adapt with the internet.

What's next? A robot Governor?

Innovations like this are always welcome except for people who have "skynet-phobia"

Skynet is closer and closer.

This new technology is really amazing. Does the technology will have a limit???

Really thus is an interesting thing to hear to robot do such

Am a technology development lover and I can't wait to see robots be citizens. Lol

But the million dollar question is has she been given the Japanese Passport. Hansons Robotics Sophia got the Saudi nationality so she can start mining Crypto and be subjected to tax laws. If this continues and Robots are subjected to similar rights as humans, how much longer before Humans seems obsolete to them and Skynet and the terminator era begins. Like you say the boundaries begin Sci Fi and Sci Fact are slowly melding together.

wow this is a thing now, I'm excited how far our technology came and will come in the future!

News anchors tend to read off scripts anyways.

i love how she glitches out and they get mad at the programmer in the video. progress is progress and i feel like whether we choose to embrace it or not, technology is here to stay, improve, perhaps replace and change our world of today.

I think the evolution of AI is just an evolution like any other. Humans would always make a way to survive, no matter what challenges come up. Take a look at Electricity for example, before its advent, once night comes, everyone goes to bed, but with the bulb, night gets turned into day and this allows us to work long into the night increasing productivity. The point here is the kerosene sellers then and giants in the business had a similar fear of the revolution, but look at where we are today... The aim of AI is to make the world a better place, We would always be way ahead...