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Realistic androids coming closer, as scientists teach a robot to share your laughter

<p>Do you ever laugh at an inappropriate moment?</p> <p>A team of Japanese researchers has taught a robot when to laugh in social situations, which is a major step towards creating an android that will be “like a friend.”</p> <p>“We think that one of the important functions of conversational AI is empathy,” says Dr Koji Inoue, an assistant professor at Kyoto University’s Graduate School of Informatics, and lead author on a paper describing the research, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2022.933261" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in <em>Frontiers in Robotics and AI</em>.</p> <p>“Conversation is, of course, multimodal, not just responding correctly. So we decided that one way a robot can empathize with users is to share their laughter, which you cannot do with a text-based chatbot.”</p> <p>The researchers trained an AI with data from 80 speed dating dialogues, from a matchmaking marathon with Kyoto University students. (Imagine meeting a future partner at exercise designed to teach a robot to laugh…)</p> <p>“Our biggest challenge in this work was identifying the actual cases of shared laughter, which isn’t easy, because as you know, most laughter is actually not shared at all,” says Inoue.</p> <p>“We had to carefully categorise exactly which laughs we could use for our analysis and not just assume that any laugh can be responded to.”</p> <p>They then added this system to a hyper-realistic android named <a href="https://robots.ieee.org/robots/erica/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Erica</a>, and tested the robot on 132 volunteers.</p> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p214084-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p>Participants listened to one of three different types of dialogue with Erica: one where she was using the shared laughter system, one where she didn’t laugh at all, and one where she always laughed whenever she heard someone else do it.</p> <p>They then gave the interaction scores for empathy, naturalness, similarity to humans, and understanding.</p> <p>The researchers found that the shared-laughter system scored higher than either baseline.</p> <p>While they’re pleased with this result, the researchers say that their system is still quite rudimentary: they need to categorise and examine lots of other types of laughter before Erica’s chuckling naturally.</p> <p>“There are many other laughing functions and types which need to be considered, and this is not an easy task. We haven’t even attempted to model unshared laughs even though they are the most common,” says Inoue.</p> <p>Plus, it doesn’t matter how realistic a robot’s laugh is if the rest of its conversation is unnatural.</p> <p>“Robots should actually have a distinct character, and we think that they can show this through their conversational behaviours, such as laughing, eye gaze, gestures and speaking style,” says Inoue.</p> <p>“We do not think this is an easy problem at all, and it may well take more than 10 to 20 years before we can finally have a casual chat with a robot like we would with a friend.”</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=214084&amp;title=Realistic+androids+coming+closer%2C+as+scientists+teach+a+robot+to+share+your+laughter" width="1" height="1" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/robot-laugh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/ellen-phiddian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ellen Phiddian</a>. Ellen Phiddian is a science journalist at Cosmos. She has a BSc (Honours) in chemistry and science communication, and an MSc in science communication, both from the Australian National University.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

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Fergie defends Princess Eugenie’s husband over topless model shots

<p><span>A model has issued a frank apology to Princess Eugenie after a photograph of her topless on a boat with Jack Brooksbank was shared online.</span><br /><br /><span>Photos were quick to pop up on the Daily Mail over the weekend, which showed Eugenie’s husband, Jack, aboard a Yacht in the Italian city of Capri.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFqQBoFriE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFqQBoFriE/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by People en Español (@peopleenespanol)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>He was surrounded by Erica Pelosini, Rachel Zalis and Maria Buccellati.</span><br /><br /><span>Now, Erica has apologised to the British Royal, who was at home in England, looking after her five-month-old son, August.</span><br /><br /><span>"I usually never go topless, but my bikini got wet and I decided to take it off. I know it does not look right for Jack and his family,” she told the Daily Mail.</span></p> <p><br /><span>“It led people to make improper suggestions and jump to conclusions and it's very hurtful that people are thinking this.</span><br /><br /><span>“I'm very sorry if I caused any embarrassment to Princess Eugenie and Jack. It wasn't appropriate for me to be topless.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFouanpIZx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFouanpIZx/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Erica Pelosini Leeman (@ericapelosini)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Erica wanted to clarify that she and Jack are friends as well as work colleagues.</span><br /><br /><span>She added they were on the boat as she was taking the group to her favourite restaurant in Italy.</span><br /><br /><span>On the way back to their hotels, they were hot so decided to cool off in the water.</span><br /><br /><span>She went on to say Jack talked about missing his wife and their son, August, throughout the whole trip.</span><br /><br /><span>Jack was in Italy to attend the Unicef Summer Gala, as a brand ambassador for Tequila brand Casamigos.</span><br /><br /><span>The company was founded by George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Michael Meldman.</span><br /><br /><span>Fergie has since spoken out in defence of her son-in-law.</span><br /><br /><span>While talking about the photos on BBC One’s The One Show, she said he was only “doing his job”.</span><br /><br /><span>"Jack, who was on the front page, is a man of such integrity.</span><br /><br /><span>“He’s just one of my most favorite people, I call him James Bond actually."</span><br /><br /><span>"He’s just a superhero in my book, and he’s a great father, a fabulous husband, and he’s never at front of house, he always likes to be at the back.</span><br /><br /><span>“So for them to make this story is completely fabricated, he works as an ambassador for Casamigos, and he was on doing his job, and so I think it’s really important that we clarify that for Jack‘s sake."</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFPhKkFU2s/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSFPhKkFU2s/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Royals UK (@royalsjetset)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Jack and Eugenie married in October 2018 at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor.</span><br /><br /><span>The pair would go on to welcome their son on February 9th, 2021 at London’s Portland Hospital.</span></p>

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