Google patents robot personality development systems and methods

So, a few year ago, google acquired a number of artificial intelligence (basically means giving machines reasoning abilities) and robotics companies including Boston Dynamics and Deep mind. As is the trend in the tech sector, Google gave no clear indications of the long term strategy of acquiring these companies, however, industry followers knew this was a move by google to establish a presence in the humanoid (human form) robotics sector. Although google already had a presence in robotics e.g. google cars, the companies it acquired then were more specialized in AI and humanoid form of robotics and we are already seeing the results of this.

On 31 March, 2015, Google filed a patent with US Patent and Technology Office detailing methods and systems for robot personality developments. Read news article here. In the lengthy filing, Google describes a cloud-based system where a robot connects to the cloud to collect information about the personality trait it is trying to manifest, particularly information on characters, word choice and sentence structure. The robot will then analyse the situation around it and act in accordance with the personality data it is programmed with from the cloud. "The robot personality may also be modifiable within a base personality construct (i.e., a default-persona) to provide states or moods representing transitory conditions of happiness, fear, surprise, perplexion, thoughtfulness, derision, and so forth" says the patent. "These moods can again be triggered by cues or circumstances detected by the robot, or elicited on command. The personality and state may be shared with other robots so as to clone this robot within another device or devices." says the patent. This means that a user can travel to another city and download the personality in another robot.

Issues of importance

Clearly the "rise of the robots" is imminent. Although there were initial arguments and debates, it did not stop robots from almost, if not completely, dominating the industrial process. Now, the robots are gradually finding their way into our homes. A plethora of 'house hold' robots developed in japan including Roborior lends credence to this. Should you think that robots only exist in the humanoid forms the media is fascinated with, then you are mistaken. There are robots that are even microscopic! (nanobots). Whether robots will become commonplace in our houses and lives is not the question, how do you profit from this, is the question.

We also see a good use of trending technologies in this patent. Cloud computing, which is anticipated to be the next goldmine in technology is clearly put to good use. With the increasing availability of universal broadband, it is making less sense to put processing capabilities on user terminals (the robot in this case). Why put so much computing resources on the terminal, when you can host the computing resources somewhere else (the cloud) and have the results transmitted to the terminal via any convenient means? (long question, ehn. lol). We see this trend coming through in other areas too such as in applications (computer programmes) development and hardware design. You probably already, maybe ignorantly, use some cloud computing already, but being aware and actively seeking how this can help you and your business is the message I'm trying to pass across here.

We also see mobility being a key consideration in this filing. Google wants you to be mobile and use this "development" everywhere. But what happens when it is difficult to move your robot to your new location? Then, you an just connect to the cloud and use your data on another robot. Mobility=ease!. We also see the impact of consumerism, these robots are developed directly for consumers.

We see Google continually striving to push the boundaries and innovate. In the tech world, just like in other businesses, if you do not change, you die! (not you of course, the business).

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