PCs: Our New Best Friends?
By Catherine Scullion
The Media Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has unveiled a computer with a novel way of interacting with its user. RoCo is equipped with a double-jointed neck and ‘actuators’ to allow great versatility of screen movement, making it the world’s first physically expressive computer.
While it is not yet able to have a quick chat over coffee, RoCo is thought to be able to improve user productivity by promoting a posture suited to mood. Research has shown that people who are feeling down perform better when allowed to slouch while those who are motivated should sit straight.
It is hoped that the interactive nature of RoCo will allow a good rapport to form with the user and consequently allow the manipulation of posture. A camera on the computer will inform it of the user’s mood and RoCo will adjust position accordingly.
This new development follows previous research at Stanford, which shows that virtual reality characters were considered more likeable when they mimicked the watcher and sat-nav ‘directors’ are more tolerated when their tone matched the driver’s mood.
In their own studies, the makers of RoCo have have shown that subjects primed for failure in a task perform better when faced with a ‘slouchy’ RoCo, while those with confidence of success responded better to an upright screen. One of RoCo’s creators believes the project has great potential, “Robots can engage us like never before. They can really push our buttons.”
It is expected to have implications in teaching and general motivation. Though I’m sure we’ve all seen enough science fiction to be wary that it is only a matter of time before this technological progress allows computers to take over the world!
No matter how you're feeling a quick look at Catherine's other articles will brighten your day. Or get more information about RoCo.
While it is not yet able to have a quick chat over coffee, RoCo is thought to be able to improve user productivity by promoting a posture suited to mood. Research has shown that people who are feeling down perform better when allowed to slouch while those who are motivated should sit straight.
It is hoped that the interactive nature of RoCo will allow a good rapport to form with the user and consequently allow the manipulation of posture. A camera on the computer will inform it of the user’s mood and RoCo will adjust position accordingly.
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| Concept design of RoCo. Graphic design by Ryan Kavanaugh. |
In their own studies, the makers of RoCo have have shown that subjects primed for failure in a task perform better when faced with a ‘slouchy’ RoCo, while those with confidence of success responded better to an upright screen. One of RoCo’s creators believes the project has great potential, “Robots can engage us like never before. They can really push our buttons.”
It is expected to have implications in teaching and general motivation. Though I’m sure we’ve all seen enough science fiction to be wary that it is only a matter of time before this technological progress allows computers to take over the world!
No matter how you're feeling a quick look at Catherine's other articles will brighten your day. Or get more information about RoCo.
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