Pixar Lamp wakes up to life: First video shows AppleRobot tabletop possible

Pixar Lamp wakes up to life: the first video shows Apple’SPAUDE ROBOT 44 Comments

Picture: Apple

With elegnig, Apple’s machine learning research team presented a concept for expressive movement of non-humanoid robots. The team demonstrates their research using a motorized table lamp that can communicate using numerous movements. A final product could begin as early as 2027.

Summary :

Machines should move by gestures

In a five-minute video, the team shows the difference between classic, purely functional movement and the idea of ”expressive” movement. The overview begins with a comparison of the two types of movement, then uses five examples to show how a motorized table lamp can meet the user more naturally in different gesture scenarios. In a way, the lamp is reminiscent of Pixar’s iconic table lamp.

For robots to interact more naturally with humans, the design of robot movement should also incorporate expressive qualities – such as intention, attention and emotion – alongside traditional functional considerations like task completion, spatial constraints and time efficiency. In this paper, we present the design and prototyping of a lamp-shaped robot that explores the interplay between functional and expressive goals in movement design.
Apple Machine Learning Research

Six examples underlie the effect

In example three, the lamp is asked about the weather, then looks out the window for a moment before the lamp turns to face the user, then reads the weather forecast. The bundle of light goes even further and asks if it can make the hiking trip, then sadly turns to the side when the user said no.

A sad table lamp (left) lowers its head (image: Apple)

In example four, the lamp also pushes a glass of water closer to its book user so that they are reminded to drink something. In a final sixth example, the lamp plays music and actually dances to the melody. The integrated projector was also used in example five to assemble a 3D printer.

The tabletop robot pushes water to the user (image: Apple)

In all scenarios, the purely functionally moving lamp appears very rigid and unnatural. It only makes the movements imperative to perform the task while the concept of Apple-Deams integrates and interactions into the movements. Macrumors mirrored the video on YouTube. However, it is also available directly from Apple.

Published research paper

Apple has published a comprehensive scientific research paper in which the team states that expressive movements increase engagement with the user and therefore perceive particularly positively in social scenarios. When performing tasks, however, these were less important to users.

This shows, for example, five with the projector, which launches a YouTube video on the wall: here the movements are at Apple Plus natural, but this makes less difference in the final result. The two manage to project the video onto the wall.

The tabletop robot beams a YouTube video onto the wall (image: Apple)

So far, tabletop robots have only been in development according to rumors

The tabletop robot has Apple So far neither announced in the portfolio nor for the future. In the past, however, there have already been the first rumors about a motorized tabletop robot that is reportedly under development and could be released in 2027. Apple is also developing a new version of Siri that could be designed for robot interactions.

With the Lamp Robot, at least one research department of the group has now shown for the first time that research is underway on the concept. At the end of the year Apple With new displays and homepods, also move forward again in the smart home. A multifunctional lamp for the office could fit into the concept.