Mirror, Mirror – learning robot body language
The Columbia Engineering team placed a robot in front of a mirror, watching it’s own motions and learning to overcome damages
By watching their own motions with a camera, robots can teach themselves about the structure of their own bodies and how they move, a new study from researchers at Columbia Engineering now reveals. Equipped with this knowledge, the robots could not only plan their own actions, but also overcome damage to their bodies.
“Like humans learning to dance by watching their mirror reflection, robots now use raw video to build kinematic self-awareness,” says study lead author Yuhang Hu, a doctoral student at the Creative Machines Lab at Columbia University, directed by Hod Lipson, James and Sally Scapa Professor of Innovation and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “Our goal is a robot that understands its own body, adapts to damage, and learns new skills without constant human programming.”
Most robots first learn to move in simulations. Once a robot can move in these virtual environments, it is released into the physical world where it can continue to learn. “The better and more realistic the simulator, the easier it is for the robot to make the leap from simulation into reality,” explains Lipson.
However, creating a good simulator is an arduous process, typically requiring skilled engineers. The researchers taught a robot how to create a simulator of itself simply by watching its own motion through a camera. “This ability not only saves engineering effort, but also allows the simulation to continue and evolve with the robot as it undergoes wear, damage, and adaptation,” Lipson says … more
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