NextSharkNextShark.com

Japan creates laughing robot that can ‘coexist alongside people’

Japan creates laughing robot that can ‘coexist alongside people’

A team of researchers led by Inoue Koji, an assistant professor at Kyoto University's Graduate School of Informatics in Japan, recently demonstrated their latest breakthrough in A.I.: the laughing humanoid robot ERICA.

October 5, 2022
SHARE
Kyoto University researchers have recently made a breakthrough in A.I. technology after demonstrating their latest laughing humanoid robot last week.
The team, led by Inoue Koji, an assistant professor at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Informatics in Japan, demonstrated the capabilities of the robot on Sept. 28, showing the A.I.-powered machine conversing with a human and laughing.
In a recent video, the robot, which is named ERICA, can be heard saying a few phrases in Japanese as it tries to have a conversation with a human, such as “That’s wonderful,” “Oh, is that so?” and “That’s right, isn’t it?” The robot is also programmed to laugh in the middle of conversations.
The researchers explained that they installed A.I. technology into their existing model of the robot that can already converse with people. They then had it listen to recordings of 82 conversations to analyze laughs using A.I.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

The researchers said the robot can tune into the voice of whoever it is speaking to and attempt to adjust the volume of its laugh accordingly.
Speaking to Japanese reporters, Koji said his team hopes to develop the robot to give more appropriate replies while conversing. 
Additionally, the researchers hope ERICA can become a source of comfort and mental stimulation for Japan’s aging population.
By developing a robot that laughs naturally, we hope to create a robot that can coexist alongside people,” Koji said.
The first time I heard the robot laugh at the right time, it felt like we could really communicate with each other,” Koji told NHK.
His team also noted that their work was  published  on Sept. 15 in the international academic journal Frontiers in Robotics and AI, where they fully detail how their technology works.
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Bryan Ke

      Bryan Ke is a Reporter for NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.