Talk with a Machine

TALK WITH A MACHINE
A chat with a machine can be one of the strangest experiences! Now you can talk to a machine, computer, server, robot, and even a brain in a jar. Virtual chat bots can carry on a conversation with you, more or less.

Some are very unique and display an interesting personality while others don't really get the questions. Some can learn from you while others are dated and thought to be a bit annoying. This is a developing form of AI. The interface is usually by text, however some have online speech output like the Fake Captain Kirk. In review, we noticed the chatbots sometimes use the same core engine. For example, Susan and Alice had some of the exact same responses (re: open the window). Some are closer to passing the Turing Test, like Awkward Chatbot, which appears to be texting you from a computer or smart phone, sometimes very realistically and other times very funny. How can you argue with a machine that says, "brb - bathroom."

"A chatter robot is a type of conversational agent, a computer program designed to simulate an intelligent conversation with one or more human users via auditory or textual methods."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatbot 

Directory of Chat Bots
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chatterbots#Chatterbots
http://www.chatbots.org/

Awkwardchatbot
http://awkwardchatbot.com/

Susan
http://www.susancalvin.org/index.php/talk-with-susan.html

Alice
http://alice.pandorabots.com/

Fake Captain Kirk
http://alicebot.org/kirkbot

Cleverbot
http://www.cleverbot.com/

Contests
http://www.susancalvin.org/index.php/chatbots-contests.html

Mobile Transport Lab 56

MOBILE TRANSPORT LAB 56
No Parent Country
The Mobile Transport Lab MTL is one that can remain in flight without a parent country. The Mobile Transport Lab was flown over the North Pole and collected data. This is a mobile science and technology lab for travel. It represents a more modern version of the original Transport Lab Facility (TLF). New items include a smart phone computer and monitor with many digital scientific apps for scientific lab analysis, multiple cameras, a CCD, and Space Telescope. Classification: 2013 Mobile Transport Lab 56 (no parent country)

Near Space Test

NEAR SPACE TESTING
A number of tests are planned for the upcoming human launch into Near Space. One, we hope to use a man-operated tiny telescope to explore daytime and/or night time objects from space. Two, what is the functioning of GPS satellites as established through a smart phone during launch, at variable positioning, at high altitudes, and from the apex of Near Space?

QUESTIONS
Answering these two questions, according to the Big Machine Brain program and the Space Exploration Initiative will be important to putting our exploration astronauts into space, and in fulfilling the Prime Directive for manned exploration.

BIG BRAIN SPACE PROGRAM - TYPES OF SPACE

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvkfTlzMPCHVmnp0pwOJM9vM2yT6JexXz5ztofe6yBk8saMZc0I4RDdVGAxC7Uo3igxYTR_4oqs0FlUWgCEhHHmCffSXMqa45GecBOn82wItN5T1G1ZFCkHYyuJiFjGotHtouD635cVz7/s1600/space.jpg

PHOTO
The photo shows space through the very large PGT-ET telescope which has multiple adjuncts in space and ground operations using a supercomputer. We don't expect results like this with the Tiny Space Telescope we're taking with us during the upcoming Near Space flight this week. The goal is imaging on the Sun, Moon, or a bright star for future celestial navigation.

VIEW PORT
The telescope test could be a success or a failure, as last time we had some challenges faced with the view port window. These windows tend to electrostatically collect dust and debris, easily scratch from the ravages of space travel (our spacecraft is reusable), and develop patches of moisture and condensation from the double layering with trapped moisture and the extreme temperatures of space. The view port also develops internal and external reflections with its multiple layering and absorbs and reflects light. It may also introduce distortion as the view port material is not optically flat.

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2013/04/pgt-et-telescope-stars.html

TELESCOPE
The tiny telescope is currently more about testing ideas for navigation in space, for spacecraft and space object positioning. For example, the Big Brain may want to launch/release a tiny satellite into space and having a better understanding of how to orientate that spacecraft will become important.

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2013/04/telescope-for-near-space.html

TSAT & SPACE TELESCOPE
One long range goal is the release of a TSAT (a temporary space satellite) and/or a tiny space telescope that will spend some time in space before its position decays.

http://humanoidolabs.blogspot.tw/2012/12/temporary-satellite-tsat.html 

Cold Talk Emergence

EMERGENCE OF
COLD TALK
ASIA 2013 -- It's now possible to talk on your cell phone to someone who's cold, i.e. not warm flesh and blood.

KNOWN AS COLD TALK
Smart phones now have their own version of an electronic assist device. One can carry on a conversation known as a cold talk, with one of these purely electronic artificial intelligence devices. There's simply no warm human at the other end of the conversation. Add yet another reason for being occupied with your cell phone. On this day, groves of people were everywhere glued to their cell phones. This photo was snapped during a traffic survey. It's unsure how long this group was motionless, with only moving fingers and standing in exactly the same position. They appear to be shoppers, at one time, at the Rose. But when they emerged, they suddenly fell victim to a trance-like stance, in the standard cell phone coma position. Could this be the beginning of a new cell phone zombie era? As smart phones become smarter on their way up, are users of smart phones on their way down?

Big Brain Gains New AI Friend Siri

BIG BRAIN GAINS NEW AI FRIEND "SIRI"
The day has arrived: a new artificial intelligence friend gained by the Big Brain machine is Siri, the intelligence that lives inside the new Apple iPhone.

Siri is speech based and with access to the web, ability to do things by your command, and its uncanny capability to successfully and reliably answer questions gives it the ability to communicate unlimited volumes of knowledge and do useful work for the iPhone user.

Some of the functions handled by Siri:

http://www.apple.com/ios/siri/
http://osxdaily.com/2012/10/04/7-good-uses-of-siri/

Interfacing
Speech interfacing between the Big Brain machine intelligence (Parallax Propeller chip based) and Apple Siri software intelligence is made possible through audible language - simple speaking and listening. Big Brain asks questions and Siri provides answers. This is helpful when the Big Brain requests running apps, monitoring weather, checking internet, sending messages, checking mail, dialing phone numbers, performing calculations, doing conversions, checking current date and time, answering specific research inquiries and opening up all new doors of opportunity.

Match Made in Heaven?
Connecting Machine Intelligences can lead to many new opportunities so stay tuned to see what happens when we develop experiments along these lines. Want Siri? Siri is already installed in the new Apple iPhone 5.

The Future
Siri is also coming to Apple's desktop and portable computers in the near future. Versions are available for the ipad.

http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/19/apples-os-x-10-9-reportedly-bringing-siri-maps-integration-to-the-mac/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siri_software

About Siri 
(pronounced /ˈsɪri/) (English: Speech Interpretation and Recognition Interface) is an intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator which works as an application for Apple's iOS. The application uses a natural language user interface to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of Web services.

Adapting
Apple claims that the software adapts to the user's individual preferences over time and personalizes the results and performing tasks such as finding recommendations for nearby restaurants or getting directions.

Controlling Siri
There's no need to use messy soldered wires and dig into the electronics. Keeping it simple, with a robot servo on hand and without hacking the iPhone, a Parallax Propeller chip can turn a Parallax servo horn to mechanically push and activate iPhone's button. A small round piece of cork or rubber attached to the button helps preserve the surface of the switch. The Parallax OBEX routine moves the servo a small amount and a simple timing algorithm keeps track of the hold-down time.

Method Two
Another simple option completely bypasses the new iPhone's mechanical switch. It uses the free "built into the OS" virtual on-screen assisted touch-switch and requires a small setup. Setup is simple. Go to Settings, General, Accessibility, turn on AssistiveTouch, go back to home, and position the Power Ball to an unused space.

Now put a small stylus on the servo to tap the Power Ball and the Siri button will come up in the same place every time. Match this position with the Power Ball or a servo. Now the servo(s) can use the stylus to activate both the Power Ball switch and Siri when necessary. The details can be worked out with position and a Propeller chip controlling servo(s), timing, and audio.  

Other Phones
Google other smart phones and check Youtube for phone comparisons to SIRI. Some phones use their own version similar to SIRI and at least one phone is running a version provided by Google.