Stony Brook University Has a New Robot Roommate

The newest member of Stony Brook University is not a student or faculty member, but instead a $80,000 humanoid robot.

Standing at roughly 4 1/2 feet tall and weighing 77 pounds, the robot is adjusting to life at Stony Brook. The robot will be here until next July when it will return to its home at DL-RL, a robotics startup that has loaned it to the university.

The robot's main use is to assist in household tasks, for example those associated with caregiving. These tasks can include pouring a drink or cleaning up a spill on the floor. Humans, however, still need to train the robot on how to complete such tasks through a form of embodied AI. Embodied AI is artificial intelligence built into a physical body, like a robot, so it can interact with the real world through movement, touch, and sensors, not only through software.

"We do 'programming by demonstration' and we have a new method that we developed that potentially makes it very easy to do manipulation tasks," said Nilanjan Chakraborty, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and member of this robotics project.

"Professor Chakraborty is a star in a bright cluster of stars in robotics here at SBU," said Scott Carney, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. "The work of DL-RL is exciting and will provide improvements to human quality of life."

A caregiver will physically walk the robot through a task, such as pouring a drink, by directly manipulating its "hand." From there the robot will be able to execute a task independently. Even if there is variation to the task, such as a different cup or height of the cup, the robot will be able to adapt independently.

"What we are trying to do is get the robot to perform certain activities like scooping and walking around autonomously," said Aditya Patankar, graduate student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. "Right now you have to control it with a remote control, it can not do it automatically."

The first concern that may pop into people's heads is that robots are going to "take away jobs." But this is simply not the case, and will not be for the foreseeable future.

"The hope is that having this system in place that can work with people is that it improves all aspects of social life," said Chakraborty. "Yes, it will change certain job descriptions, but that comes with every technology advancement. But I think that there will be a net positive to those in the professions and those receiving those services. I don't see it replacing humans per se."

Caregivers still have the important job of personally connecting with the humans they work for. That kind of interaction is irreplaceable.

"That DL-RL chose to partner with SBU in this manner speaks to the great work going on in Professor Chakraborty's group and his impact in the world," said Carney. "His technical virtuosity is coupled to a deep humanity and commitment to making a better world."

- Angelina Livigni