The Lamp named Pinokio has been developed by students at Victoria University of Wellington, and has been built using six servos, an Arduino processor, a web camera, and OpenCV. Check the results out in the video after the jump.
It’s not the first time that developers have tried to recreate the famous Pixar Lamp which can be seen at the beginning of Pixar’s movies, in real life using Arduino technology,
Pinokio’s Unique Features
As you can see in the video below, Pinokio just doesn’t like being turned off. The student development team behind recreating the iconic Pixar Lamp explains:
“Pinokio is an exploration into the expressive and behavioral potentials of robotic computing. Customized computer code and electronic circuit design imbues Lamp with the ability to be aware of its environment, especially people, and to express a dynamic range of behavior,” its creators explain. “As it negotiates its world, we the human audience can see that Lamp shares many traits possessed by animals, generating a range of emotional sympathies. In the end, we may ask: Is Pinokio only a lamp? – a useful machine? Perhaps we should put the book aside and meet a new friend.”
Pinokio’s ability to interact with its environment is made possible through the integration of advanced technologies. The six servos allow for a wide range of movements, giving the lamp a lifelike quality. The Arduino processor acts as the brain of the lamp, processing inputs from the web camera and executing commands based on the programmed code. OpenCV, an open-source computer vision library, enables Pinokio to recognize and respond to human faces and movements, making the lamp appear almost sentient.
Applications and Future Developments
The development of Pinokio opens up exciting possibilities for the future of interactive robotics. While Pinokio is currently a prototype, the technology behind it could be applied to a variety of fields. For instance, similar robotic systems could be used in healthcare to assist elderly or disabled individuals with daily tasks. In education, interactive robots like Pinokio could serve as engaging teaching aids, making learning more interactive and fun for students.
Moreover, the emotional connection that Pinokio fosters with its human audience could be leveraged in therapeutic settings. Robots that can express emotions and respond to human interactions could provide companionship and emotional support to individuals suffering from loneliness or mental health issues.
As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see even more sophisticated and lifelike robots. The integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning could further enhance the capabilities of robots like Pinokio, allowing them to learn from their interactions and adapt their behavior over time. This could lead to the development of robots that are not only functional but also capable of forming meaningful relationships with humans.
In conclusion, Pinokio represents a significant step forward in the field of interactive robotics. By combining advanced technologies such as servos, Arduino processors, web cameras, and OpenCV, the students at Victoria University of Wellington have created a lamp that is not only functional but also capable of forming an emotional connection with its human audience. As we continue to explore the potential of robotic computing, we can look forward to a future where robots like Pinokio become an integral part of our daily lives.
Source: CoolDudeStuff : Hot Hardware
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