Jul 10 2009 Robot Teaches Itself To Smile, Next: Targeting

MORE: aaaaahh , apocalypse , bad ideas , bad thinking , college , death and destruction , face , face aids , i don't wanna diiiiie tonight , learning is dangerous , makes me angry , makes me sick , no , no no no , robotic death army , run for your life! , scientists , turn that frown upside down and burn it with fire! , we're all gonna die! , what have you done , you fools!

The fools at the University of California, San Diego have created a robot that can learn new facial expressions on it's own. Next, its gonna learn how to drive itself to the shooting range.

To begin teaching the robot, the researchers stuck Einstein in front of a mirror and instructed the robot to "body babble" by contorting its face into random positions. A video camera connected to facial recognition software gave the robot feedback: When it made a movement that resembled a "real" expression, it received a reward signal.

"It's an iterative process," said facial recognition expert Marian Bartlett, a co-author of the study. "It starts out completely random and then gets feedback. Next time the robot picks an expression, there's a bias towards putting the motors in the right configuration."

Now I'm no terrorist, BUT IF I WAS, Machine Perception Laboratory, just sayin'.

Robot Teaches Itself to Smile [wired]

Thanks to Dirk, Dennie and RealLifeFup, who asked it to smile for the camera and then shot it because it wasn't really a camera, it was a gun.

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Jun 10 2009 You Fool!: Man Builds Giant Mecha In Garage

MORE: apocalypse , bad choices , bad ideas , dangerous , doomsday , frightening , homemade , just because you can doesn't mean you should , lockjaw , mechanical , no , no no no , rusty , tetanus candy , uh-oh , we're all gonna die , what have you done , why? , wtf man! , wtf were you thinking? , you fool!

homemade mecha 1.jpg


You thought I was kidding about it being Robotic Apocalypse Awareness Day, didn't you? I wasn't. First the Israeli snake robot, then Gundam, and now, another mecha. Plus, the day isn't over yet. Holy shit, more to come. Truth? You can't handle the truth!

Carlos Owens, 31, an army mechanic by trade, began building his own personal mecha in his garage in 2004. Five years, later, TA-DA -- tetanus on two feet.

Owens is working on two more prototypes, modifying the design to make it lighter and more maneuverable. For the new prototype of his mechanical suit, Carlos Owens is planning to feature a chest plate that swings open so he doesn't have to climb in from underneath.


He foresees mechas having uses in the military and the construction industry but acknowledges that right now they're best suited to entertainment. The first application he has in mind: mecha-vs.-mecha battles, demolition-derby style.

Demolition-derby style mecha wars, huh? Well at least you've got your priorities straight, Carlos. And, since I was born complete with pirate cannonballs, I challenge your mecha to the death. Go on, climb up in there. The fight will begin as soon as....*PEW PEW PEW PEW!* Now somebody haul this scrap to the junkyard.

Hit the jump for a closeup of Carlos in the thing. Alternatively: face tetanus.

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