New CoBots are help on wheels

The video discusses the development of Cobot, an autonomous indoor service robot by Manuela Veloso and her team at Carnegie Mellon University. Cobot is designed to navigate and learn its environment independently, offering services like escorting and delivering items. It uses symbiotic autonomy to interact with humans, asking for help when needed, such as pressing elevator buttons. The video explores the potential for Cobots in various settings and questions societal readiness for such technology.

What makes Cobot unique compared to other moving robots?

• It follows a preprogrammed path.

• It operates independently without human guidance.

• It can only perform a single task.

• It requires constant human guidance.

How does Cobot learn and map its environment?

• By following a preprogrammed floor plan.

• By relying on human input for directions.

• By using GPS technology.

• By recording every turn and monitoring walls.

What is a key feature of Cobot's symbiotic autonomy?

• It can only operate in open spaces.

• It never requires human assistance.

• It can press elevator buttons on its own.

• It knows when to ask humans for help.

In which public spaces does Manuela Veloso see potential for Cobot's use?

• Exclusively in outdoor environments.

• Only in office buildings.

• In supermarkets, museums, hospitals, and schools.

• Only in private homes.

What challenge does Manuela Veloso mention regarding the acceptance of Cobots?

• The high cost of production.

• Technical limitations of the robot.

• Psychological readiness of people to accept autonomous robots.

• Lack of interest from industries.