|
|
Long Term Goals
 |
Give Albert a Very Large Vocabulary
Since Albert will be controlled by my laptop (with access to my PC), he has nearly
limitless memory for programs and speech! Albert will have something to say about
just about everything, and to make his orations less predictable I'd like to have several
variations for each comment.
|
|
Implement Mapping and/or Navigation Routines
Many of Albert's behaviors will require him to know his way around our house. That
means I'll have to implement some fairly sophisticated code that uses dead reckoning, in
combination with directional and other sensor data, to constantly track the robot's
location and heading. I may need to install some beacons, as well.
|
|
Give Albert a Personality
Before I can truly feel that this project has been a success, Albert will need to be
accepted as a member of our family. Human beings tend to anthropomorphize objects
anyway (look at the way some people name their cars), so this objective isn't TOO far
fetched.
 |
The best way to achieve this goal is by giving Albert pet-like, or even human-like,
behaviors. Unpredictability is critical. If he says the same thing every time
he bumps into a wall, his programming will be obvious. I also have some interesting
ideas on how I can vary the robot's responses to things based on his "mood."
This concept is described in the report: "A
Model for Mood-Based Behaviors"
|
|
|
Create a Charging Station and Program Albert
to Find It
At some point, I'd like Albert to be completely autonomous within our household.
Therefore, I'd like to create a charging station and program Albert to find it when his
batteries are getting low. I'll need some help with this one.
|
|
Teach Albert to Teach Himself
As I said above, it is very important for Albert's behaviors to be somewhat
unpredictable. When my daughter turns up the volume on the stereo, causing Albert to
dash madly out of the room, and my wife asks, "What was that all about???", I
want to answer, "I have NO idea." By giving Albert the ability to teach
himself, interesting and unpredictable behaviors are almost guaranteed.
|
|
Experiments in Telepresence
| Though not an autonomous function, I'd like to eventually add a camera and
transmitter. It should be possible, then, to control the robot from a remote location (via
the Internet), and see and hear what the robot sees and hears. This would be great
for home security, and would allow me to check up on my wife and daughter while I'm at
work. We could even communicate! I would be able to see and hear them, and by
typing messages that get converted to speech by the robot, they would be able to hear me,
as well. |
|
|
|
