Robot Love

[Drunk Monk]

[thatguy]

https://www.engadget.com/nvidias-latest-...04608.html

NVIDIA's latest AI model helps robots perform pen spinning tricks as well as humans
Sarah Fielding

The use for humans in the world of robotics, even as teachers, is shrinking thanks to AI. NVIDIA Research has announced the creation of Eureka, an AI agent powered by GPT-4 that has trained robots to perform tasks using reward algorithms. Notably, Eureka taught a robotic hand to do pen spinning tricks as well as a human can (honestly, as you can see in the YouTube video below, better than many of us).



Eureka has also taught quadruped, dexterous hands, cobot arms and other robots to open drawers, use scissors, catch balls and nearly 30 different tasks. According to NVIDIA Research, the AI agent's trial and error-based reward programs are 80 percent more effective than those written by human experts. This shift meant the robots' performance also improved by over 50 percent. Eureka also self-evaluates based on training results, instructing changes in reward functions as it sees fit.
NVIDIA Research has published a library of its Eureka algorithms, encouraging others to try them out on NVIDIA Isaac Gym, the organization's "physics simulation reference application for reinforcement learning research."

The idea of robots teaching robots is seeing increased interest and success. A May 2023 paper published in the Transactions on Machine Learning Research journal presented a new system called SKILL (Shared Knowledge Lifelong Learning), which allowed AI systems to learn 102 different skills, including diagnosing diseases from chest X-rays and identifying species of flowers. The AIs shared their knowledge — acting as teachers in a way — with each other over a communication network and were able to master each of the 102 skills. Researchers at schools like MIT and the University of Bristol have also had success, specifically in using AI to teach robots how to manipulate objects.

Next up...butterfly knife...

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

[Drunk Monk]

[thatguy]

our robot overlords may have tentacles...




--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Is it just my feed or has there been a deluge of robot news?

This is old but I feel it needs to be included here: 

[thatguy]

Life reflects art...

https://gizmodo.com/humanoid-robot-boxin...2000607616

Humanoid Robot Boxing Is a Thing Now and Tesla’s Optimus Should Be Very Scared

Bad news for Optimus—things are getting physical.

James Pero
Published May 27, 2025
© Unitree

There’s just something about robots that makes us really want to kick them. Like this one, this one, or all of these ones. I know that the kicking technically has a purpose, but let’s be honest, it’s not the harrowing trial of human-like locomotion and stability that makes us want to kick, it’s the uh… kicking part. Abusing robots is fun, apparently, but also very tiring. I mean, who has time to kick and punch? In this economy? Luckily, this is 2025, and now the robots can kick and punch each other. No, really, they’re going in.

Welcome to this week’s hottest new bloodsport (greasesport?), humanoid robot kickboxing, aka the China Media Group World Robot Tournament, which is, according to the overlords of robot violence themselves, the “world’s first combat competition exclusively featuring humanoid robots.” Ding, ding, ding: In one corner, we have Unitree’s G1 robot, and in the other corner, we have… another Unitree G1 robot! Watch them as they perform feats of kicking and punching and wobbling around after being kicked and punched! It’s almost as exciting as human violence! Especially if you’re a nerd who’s really into engineering.

The event, outside of entertaining us with the spectacle of robot-on-robot fisticuffs, is obviously supposed to showcase the agility and humanness of Unitree’s G1 robots and China’s acumen and advancement on that front. But I’m not sure—technically speaking—there’s much to fawn over here. Kicking is cool, don’t get me wrong, but robots have been astounding us with feats of agility for a while now, and to be honest, I’ll be more impressed when I see a robot that can adeptly fold laundry. But I guess I’m probably missing the point here—this is more about the exhibition than it is the technology. So, to borrow a phrase from everyone’s favorite fictional gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

The answer? Kind of. But to be honest, I’d be a lot more entertained if there were a celebrity in the mix. Not a human one (relax, Danny Bonaduce, you can rest those mittens for now), but a robot one. Pie-in-the-sky scenario? I’m tapping in Tesla’s Optimus robot. Sure, Optimus may be better suited for factory life right now (at least Elon Musk hopes so), but how do we really know that Optimus is up to the task of home care and revolutionizing the supply chain until we know whether or not it can kick another robot’s metal ass in a fight? I don’t know about you, but I always trust the strong guy more. You hear that, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson? You’ve got my vote in the bag.

No, but seriously. This is your call to action, Mr. Musk. You may be too much of a coward to take on the metaverse’s favorite f***boy, Mark Zuckerberg, in the ring, but now is your time to shine—we all know you need the attention. If your robot is really as useful as you say it is, it’s time to put your money where Optimus’ shaky hands are and show us what Tesla’s humanoid bot can do. Though, to be honest, I think the G1 and Optimus are in a different weight class—the former is just a lil guy after all—so we may need to address that first, even if Musk is no stranger to punching down.

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Been following this on KFM. It’s funny to me that they don foam sparring gear.