What is Artificial Intelligence?

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics discovered that we are able to classify an expression much better when it moves naturally.

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany learned that we can recognize facial expressions better when it is moving naturally rather than when it is in a static photograph.

There are many explanations for each facial expression. A frown may say: “Please explain that again!". A nod may signify that you understand.

We must see the expression moving for at least 100 milliseconds in order for us to gain the advantage of dynamic information. Our brain is less capable of decoding the facial motion if the video sequence is shorter.

There are series of experiments that these scientists do in order for them to prove their theories. The result of the experiment shows that either pictures or motion alone are what is needed, but it’s the combination of the temporal sequence and the right facial motion to consistently interpret facial expressions.

Dr. Christian Wallraven, co-author of the study said, "Our results also have implications for the area of computer animation, since its goal is to create artificial avatars and facial animations that are able to communicate realistically and believably."

Click here to read more about Facial Expression In Motion, Computer Animation

Matt Bunting, student with his very own Hexapod

"One of the things I wanted to explore was the idea of reinforcement learning using an artificial intelligence... I wanted it to figure out how to walk straight forward on its (hexapod) own”, said Matt Bunting, a senior at the University of Arizona in electrical engineering.

Hexapod was Bunting's final class project on cognitive robotics. Built from spare parts, and to let the robot adaptively learn how to move he used an Intel Atom processor powering an Ubuntu OS computer. With Logitech Quick Cam to watches what happens when movements are initiated, and a changing scene to determine what effect the movements are having.

Intel ordered themselves two copies to take on an international publicity tour for the Atom processor. A couple days after Matt posted a video of his bot on YouTube, Then, the company who provided Matt with the servos, Crust Crawler Robotics, asked Matt to help develop a software for some of their hexapod kits.

Matt's hexapod Artificial intelligence learning can be applied to tasks other than wait, it can relearn how to walk. The robot even has foot contact sensors that can be used for terrain adaptation.

Click here to read more about Hexapod, Artificial Intelligence

Stanford computer scientists say that, with the diverse rules of every game in computers, they are the ideal tools for exploring ideas in artificial intelligence and fresh approaches to programming.

As Michael Genesereth, computer science professor with the Stanford Logic Group, and Nathaniel Love, a computer science doctoral student, in an article on general game playing (GGP), wrote that: "Programs that think better should be able to win more games.”

He added that, the theorem of general game playing is “drastically different” from the past creation of computer programming.

He said that, “the computer just follows a recipe that has been given to it.” AI’s application is limited to this situation because computer never needs to think for itself. According to him, program like IBM’s Deep Blue shows the smarts of the programmer rather than the smarts of the program. Writing program for GGP is similar as trying to educate a child the way how to play a game.

Genesereth said that competitions between GGP programs are an "evaluation technique for intelligent systems.” And, it is feasible to compare the relative intelligence of its system by playing the programs against one another.

Click here to read more about Artificial Intelligence and Game Programming

Synapses link these tiny networks of brain cells.

Adaptive learning is one characteristic of the human brain that is difficult to understand. But a new generation of artificial intelligence computing is emerging to mimic such characteristic.

This new generation Neuro-computer is the subject of a three-year study by the researchers from the Institute for Theoretical Science (IGI) at Graz University of Technology in collaboration with the European Union research project "Brain-i-Nets" (Novel Brain Inspired Learning Paradigms for Large-Scale Neuronal Networks).

The human brain is made up of tiny networks of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These networks are linked by independent connections called synapses.Synapses are dynamic connections which represents a basis for independent thinking and learning.

This behavior of the synapses is what scientists from Graz want to learn about and implement on their project Neuro-computer.

They want to use this behavior to develop new learning methods for artificial intelligent systems which process information. Their long-term goal is to develop adaptive computers which will potentially revolutionize present computing trends.

Click here to read more about Adaptive Learning, Neuro-Computers

WeCU

WeCU Technologies is creating a system that would essentially turn the public spaces in airports into vast screening grounds a mind-reading scanner that can tell if a given traveler is a potential danger.

The system projects image onto airport screens or some other image such as symbols associated with a certain terrorist group to familiar images that suddenly appear in unfamiliar places. If you strolled through an airport and saw a picture of your mother, the logic is that people can't help reacting, even if only subtly.

“And a circular screen which ought to have been a calm turquoise blue on the wall behind him. But which was flickering from dark blue through violet to mauve. That was simple nervous tension and guilt and anger at the humiliation of being subjected to "veridicator" interrogation.

There was a bright conical helmet on his head, and electrodes had been clamped to various portions of his anatomy which was designed to extract information more efficiently than conventional interrogation methods. "The chair" is employed throughout the Peacekeeper military is believed one of the most effective means of gaining information from unwilling subjects.

It is designed to sort through and uncover the mind's "layers".

Click here to read more about Airport Mind Reader Scanners, Veridicator