Are walking, talking, feeling robots like Chappie in our future?
Share this Story(Mar. 5, 2015) -- Coming to theaters Mar. 6, the film Chappie is about the first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. The filmmakers claim that this story "will change the way the world looks at robots and humans forever."
UTSA mechanical engineering assistant professor Pranav Bhounsule is an expert on two-legged robots and human-robot interaction. His research focuses on motion control of humanoid robots.
Could robots like Chappie become part of our every day society?
"It seems impossible as of now. But who knows?" shares Bhounsule. "Not long ago, mankind thought that flying planes, GPS, and internet was fiction. Today we have these technologies and they have impacted every one of us in a major way. I hope the same for robots like Chappie."
As far as the current state of robot technology, he says there are already robots that are better and more effective than humans but they are built and programmed to do very specific tasks, like cleaning the floor or picking up items from a conveyor belt.
"A more generic robot that looks and moves like a human, a humanoid robot, could be at least as versatile as a human, if not better," says Bhounsule. "But current humanoid robots are very limited in their capability. We have not been able to get robots to: think like humans, a problem in artificial intelligence; see and distinguish like humans, a problem in sensing and perception; and move like humans, a problem in dynamics and control."
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Learn more about Bhounsule on the Meet a Roadrunner website or his faculty Web page.
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Various LocationsThis community event is hosted by the UTSA Mexican American Studies Program. It is a lecture/performance that examines the contributions of Tejana musicians to the evolution of Mexican American music.
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, 922 San Pedro Ave.Asian Fanfair is an event that highlights our APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American) identities on campus. The event will feature performances from our AAPI interest Student Organizations, a tabling fair, and some cultural cuisine.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusJoin us for a day dedicated to supporting and empowering our UTSA veterans! We're excited to announce our upcoming resource fair, designed specifically to ensure that our veteran students have access to the resources and networking opportunities they need to thrive in their academic and post-military lives.
Student Union Lawn, Main CampusThis workshop will introduce participants to the basics of text analysis using Python and Jupyter Notebook on the Constellate Lab platform. We will create datasets in Constellate to analyze patterns, trends, and relationships of contents and more.
John Peace Library (JPL 3.02.32), Main CampusWhat would award-winning writing professor Diane Abdo say if it were her last lecture? Join us for our annual Last Lecture series on Wednesday April 17.
Multipurpose Room (BSE 2.102), Main CampusDía en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.
Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza, Main Campus
