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Youtube Robotics The Military United States

DARPA-Funded Robots Learning To Cook By Watching YouTube Videos 88

jfruh writes Once you've built humanoid-shaped robots, how do you get them to move and act like humans? Well, one way to teach them how to do it is to have them watch one of the greatest repository of recorded human experience ever: YouTube. Robots in a Maryland lab have learned how to prepare meals by watching and processing a slew of cooking videos, one of YouTube's most popular genres.
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DARPA-Funded Robots Learning To Cook By Watching YouTube Videos

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  • by Frosty Piss ( 770223 ) * on Sunday February 01, 2015 @05:01PM (#48953943)

    These types of robots will never replace humans in the fast food industry because high school drop-outs and liberal arts masters grads will always be cheaper. Might make a nice bartender on the long trip to Mars.

    Yes, yes, I know. "Machine Learning" ...

    • by Anonymous Coward

      They have said this about computers and every new technology that has come along. The truth is, eventually it does replace us in the workforce. Now we have to figure out how we are going to value our contribution to society.

    • Last I read, they are targeting a price point of $20k for those robots. Considering they could probably replace 2 workers each, the payback time would be less than a year.

      • Last I read, they are targeting a price point of $20k for those robots. Considering they could probably replace 2 workers each, the payback time would be less than a year.

        How many people would buy the "Kate" model just so they can say "Kate, make me a sammich"?

        • How many people would buy the "Kate" model just so they can say "Kate, make me a sammich"?

          Unless you're logged in as root, you have to use sudo [xkcd.com]

    • You're right - different robots have already replaced humans for much of the fast-food process. All the humans do is slap the meat into a cooker for a precise amount of time, then piles all the ingredients in the right order. The meat, the sauce, the buns, were all made by machines.

      Besides, this robot wouldn't be cooking fast-food. This would replace the actual chefs at actual restaurants, at least the low-end ones at first. Think "Applebees", not "McDonalds".

    • These types of robots will never replace humans in the fast food industry because high school drop-outs and liberal arts masters grads will always be cheaper.

      Humans have a minimum acceptable wage in that they require food to continue operation. If the cost of robots were to drop below the amount humans need for minimal survival then humans would be unable to compete since it would be impossible to drop their wage demands to match.

  • by Petr Kočmíd ( 3424257 ) on Sunday February 01, 2015 @05:11PM (#48953987)
    This is the worst of what could be invented in robotics. If such robot can cut the meat with a kitchen knife, what happens to humanity when it learns from head cutting terrorist videos?
  • by Anonymous Coward
    ... can they learn to reproduce by watching free porno?
    • by Anonymous Coward

      http://imgdonkey.com/big/MDVRVWlLcQ/robot-humping-a-washing-machine.gif

    • Unless someone uploads a usable robot repair and upgrading video to YouTube, they will have to keep a few humans around for maintenance.
  • *sigh* (Score:5, Insightful)

    by eagee ( 1308589 ) on Sunday February 01, 2015 @05:26PM (#48954063)
    If climate change and the next ice age we're inevitably bringing down on ourselves doesn't destroy human civilization, robots that learn how to behave by watching YouTube certainly will.
    • Re:*sigh* (Score:4, Funny)

      by gman003 ( 1693318 ) on Sunday February 01, 2015 @06:30PM (#48954365)

      Let's hope they didn't program it to read the comments.

    • by dissy ( 172727 )

      And I for one welcome our new robotic cooking mama letsplayer overlords, and would like to remind them I have experience providing data center uptimes of fine nines while they are rounding up humans to toil away in their underground minecraft mines.

  • I think that's how my wife learned

  • by Anonymous Coward

    First of all, thanks for a lot of cool things, the internet being possibly the greatest.

    Now, since they are a "Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency", where is OARPA? You know, the Offense Advanced Research Projects Agency?

    Somehow, I think there's not one -- and it's not hidden for secrecy reasons. I'm not pointing out that because I'm against them. I even recognize to deal with certain folks which have been asking for lead for some time now.

    But I think, since we don't like Russian being hypocrites (or

  • We really should be careful of what video our young impressionable robots are watching.

    Only a matter of time before a nature/firmware versus nurture/experience debate becomes a thing for machines too.

  • When the terminators finally arrive, they'll be naked, hot and serving bacon.

    I, for one, welcome our new sexy, gastrointestinal over... ladies

  • Yea i mistyped "cock" instead of "cook" in the search field from which videos he should learn....

  • It's a Cookbook!

  • This is soo amazing and cool!!!
  • That's a concept which might end up being a reality. Can't wait for a robot cook.

  • Great. Just great. Now we're teaching robots to watch TV. As if the Neilsen ratings weren't skewed enough already, NOW we'll have robots watching TV all the time to learn various things.

    So what happens when they start watching porn?

  • Can't wait to see what yummy meals these robots will prepare after watching 'Will it blend' on youtube!
  • They cook cats.

  • I, for one, would love to watch these robots perform after watching some Swedish Chef videos.
  • Wouldn't it be easier to use YouTube videos to train robot cats?
  • but they have no sense of taste, so they use way too much salt.
  • "How to Serve Humans" will take on a whole new meaning.

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