I have to echo Eduardo's comments. The description in the article was
shallow enough that we have no idea what really went on "cognitively"
but the approach seems to be part of the "gee whiz" approach where
proving that robots can replace humans is the main point. I'm sure the
same lab is working on a FemBot so the boys can finally get a date.
The article said that we should "Zoom closer and you can see it's a
pretty good sketch, the kind a street artist might rustle up for
tourists." That's a pretty accurate description. Take a semi-
reasonable likeness and add noise in the form of "art marks"--in this
case pen squiggles--that say "human expression" in the silliest and
most clichéd manner possible. Next we'll find out that the frozen and
reheated food sold to tourists proves that factories and microwave
ovens replace chefs quite well.
It would be much more interesting if people asked what it is that
computers (or factories and microwave ovens) do better than people and/
or what they can do to make people better.
Gunnar
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On 06-04-2010 7:17, Terence Love wrote:
> New Life-Drawing Robot may provide insights into the role of
> sketching in
> design
> and into human creativity and aesthetic sense.
> According to New Scientist (04/01/10), Aikon, a robot that can
> sketch a
> human face has been developed by computer science designers Frederic
> Fol
> Leymarie and Patrick Tresset at Goldsmiths, University of London.
> Aikon uses
> processes that copy human thought and physiological processes. The
> team
> hope work with Aikon can start to reveal some understandings of
> creativity.
> Source: ACM Tech News 5Apr2010. Full article at
> http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/2010/04/life-drawing-robot-coul
> d-teach-us-about-art.php
>
> Best regards,
> Terry
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