Gizmodo shares how Google DeepMind taught a robot to tie shoes. Is it perfect? No, but that’s not the point.
In a blog post entitled “Our latest advances in robot dexterity,” DeepMind goes into further detail about how they taught the machine to lace up. Unusually, the bot uses two arms to complete the task—or what researchers dub “bi-arm manipulation.” DeepMind also revealed two new AI systems, dubbed ALOHA Unleashed and DemoStart. ALOHA’s programming can help robots perform difficult, two-armed tasks, while DemoStart involves the use of simulations to help robots learn from its experiences. “One day, AI robots will help people with all kinds of tasks at home, in the workplace and more,” researchers write. “Dexterity research, including the efficient and general learning approaches we’ve described today, will help make that future possible.”
Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!