A highly sophisticated robot developed by a research team of University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom is joining the world of work as a trainee office manager.
Betty the robot has information about her surroundings and learn how the environment changes over time — for example, where people go within the office, where objects appear, whether doors are open or closed.
She will also know when to report to her docking station to recharge her batteries. Betty is part of the £7.2 million European Union-funded STRANDS project where robots are learning how to act intelligently and independently in real-world environments while understanding 3D space and how this changes over time from milliseconds to months.
Nick Hawes, from the School of Computer Science at the University of Birmingham, who leads the STRANDS project, said: “For robots to work alongside humans in normal work environments it is important that they are both robust enough to operate autonomously without expert help, and that they learn to adapt to their environments to improve their performance.”
Betty demonstrates both these abilities in a real working environment: we expect her to operate for two months without expert input, whilst using cutting-edge AI techniques to increase her understanding of the world around her.”
TSC Chief Operating Officer Mark Ruddy said: “At the TSC, innovation and new technologies are at the core of our business, so we are excited to be hosting the STRANDS project. Thanks to our ongoing work on autonomous technology, Betty should feel right at home in the TSC’s facilities.”
“We hope that we can learn from her as much as she can learn from us during her stay. We have yet to see her interact with one of the LUTZ Pathfinder Autonomous Pods!”
