Designing and Building the 21st Century Robot

This compilation of texts focuses on the 21st Century Robot Project, spearheaded by Brian David Johnson, a futurist and science fiction author. It explores the transition from science fiction concepts of robots to their real-world realization, particularly focusing on the development of a social, open-source robot named Jimmy. The sources discuss the philosophical underpinnings and technical challenges of creating robots designed for interaction and companionship, rather than solely for industrial tasks. Included are excerpts from a manifesto, science fiction stories featuring Jimmy and his creator, and details about the collaborative process involving engineers, artists, and even first-grade students in designing and building these robots. The overarching goal presented is the democratization of robotics, making it accessible for anyone to imagine, design, and build their own robot.

Podcast

Play or Download The Podcast Audio – 21st Century Robot

Science Fiction Prototyping

Science Fiction Prototyping is an unconventional tool used by Brian David Johnson, a professional futurist. It involves using science fiction stories, often based on research, to explore what it will feel like to live 10, 15, or even 20 years in the future and how people will act and interact with technology. According to Johnson, science fiction provides a language to talk about the future.

In the context of the 21st Century Robot project, the walking, talking robot named Jimmy and other 21st Century Robots were first born in science fiction stories about a decade before the book was written. Johnson used his imagination to create these stories, which in turn fired up the imaginations of the scientists, engineers, academics, and designers who helped bring Jimmy to life. Weaving fiction with reality is part of how Johnson came to create the 21st Century Robot Collective.

The Creative Science Foundation, a group of researchers and professors including Dr. Simon Egerton, collaborated on this new kind of robot, with science fiction at the center of their research. They used the stories as prototypes that allowed them to understand what it might be like to interact and live with these robots. These stories helped move their research forward, envision the new kind of robot, and led to new approaches in software and artificial intelligence (AI). This process was iterative: each story led to a new breakthrough and more research, which then led to another story, building upon the previous one. This iterative process, building off open source sharing, is described as where things “get really interesting”. The book itself is presented as a mix of science fiction stories and nonfiction chapters, reflecting this approach.

The idea of imagining first is crucial to the 21st Century Robot Manifesto. Science fiction stories, comics, and movies are seen as powerful tools to help you imagine your robot. It is suggested that science fiction, based on science fact, can be used to design robots and even shared as a technical requirements document. This aligns with the broader idea that we must be able to imagine the future so we can then build it.

Building Your 21st Century Robot

Building robots, particularly the kind envisioned by professional futurist Brian David Johnson in the context of the 21st Century Robot Project, is presented as a process that is now accessible to almost anyone, in contrast to the 20th century when it was largely confined to universities and corporations. The project aims to make the production and use of robots as common as caring for a family pet. The goal is simple: to create 7 billion robots, making them as common as smartphones, tablets, and TVs.

The method for achieving this goal is elaborate and involves several key steps and philosophies:

1. Imagination First: The most important skill needed to build a robot is imagination. Nothing built by humans was not imagined first. This involves envisioning the robot’s personality, name, how it will interact, and what unique things it will do. Science fiction stories, comics, and movies are powerful tools to help imagine your robot. This aligns with Brian David Johnson’s use of science fiction prototyping, an unconventional tool that uses stories based on research to explore future interactions with technology and how people will feel and act. Science fiction, based on science fact, can even be used to design robots and shared as a technical requirements document. This is fundamental to the idea that we must be able to imagine the future so we can then build it. The fictional robots in the 21st Century Robot project were first born in science fiction stories about a decade before the book detailing their creation was written.
2. Design: Once imagined, the robot needs to be designed. The physical creation often starts with illustrations and digital design tools [28, 3D printing section]. The design process gives form to the robot and helps refine its functionality. The design includes both the exoskeleton (the outer shell) and the endoskeleton (the internal structure). The exoskeleton contributes significantly to the robot’s personality and how people perceive it. The design needs to consider practical aspects like balance and weight. Digital design files, sometimes generic to start with, can be modified using software like Autodesk’s 123D or more complex tools. Sharing these designs is encouraged to foster collaboration and building upon others’ ideas. Different design approaches can result in varying levels of complexity and functionality, as seen in the different motor configurations explored by the Olin College students (4, 7, 18, and 24 motors).
3. Building the Body (Construction): Building the physical body involves assembling the endoskeleton, which consists of frames and brackets, and incorporating the necessary components like servo motors, wires, and internal workings. Servo motors act like the robot’s muscles, enabling movement and are often intelligent, tracking their own state. Simple movements may use single servos, while more complex motions, like those in the ankle or hip, require multiple servos in a double-axis configuration, connected by frames and brackets. Key areas like the feet, legs, hips, torso, arms, head, and neck require specific arrangements of servos and brackets. The torso typically houses the main electronics. The exoskeleton, often 3D printed from the design files, forms the outer shell and protects the internal components while expressing the robot’s look. Kits, like those from Trossen Robotics or ArcBotics, provide all the necessary parts for assembly and often include instructions or tutorials.
4. Programming the Brain (Software): The robot’s brain consists of hardware and software, known as artificial intelligence (AI). The 21st Century Robot Project models the robot brain on the human brain, splitting it into three parts: the autonomic system (handling low-level functions like walking and balance), the conscious mind (personality and higher-level thinking), and the reflex core (managing communication between the two). The AI software is structured in layers, such as the action primitives layer (controlling basic movements), the social primitives layer (handling social interactions like listening and gesturing), the character layer (defining personality and vocabulary), and the app layer (allowing customization through application programming interfaces or APIs). The development and sharing of this software, particularly through open source platforms like ROS (Robot Operating System) and DARwin-OP, are crucial to the project’s goal of accessibility. An environment called “Your Robot” is provided for exploring and developing the robot’s brain, including programming movements and downloading apps. Robots can also be given a voice with customizable volume, pitch, and speed.
5. Iteration and Sharing: The process of building is intentionally iterative, involving repeating the process to make multiple versions and build upon previous learning and designs. Open source sharing is fundamental, allowing people to modify and build upon others’ ideas. The collective efforts of scientists, engineers, academics, designers, makers, and even first-grade students contribute to the project, refining designs and developing new approaches.

Once a robot is built, there is a process for booting it up and ensuring all components are working correctly, sometimes involving a diagnostic check like the HELLO! Protocol. Troubleshooting resources are available to help navigate potential problems.

Ultimately, building robots in this context is not about creating one “best robot ever,” but empowering everyone to create their best robot ever, leading to a future with seven billion unique robots.

Anatomy of the 21st Century Robot Brain

Drawing on the information in the sources and our conversation history, let’s discuss the concept of Robot Brains within the context of Brian David Johnson’s 21st Century Robot Project.

In this project, building a robot, particularly its brain, is presented as something now accessible to nearly anyone, a significant shift from the 20th century when it was primarily the domain of universities and corporations. The foundation of this accessibility lies in the idea that imagination is the most important skill needed to build your robot. As we discussed, this connects directly to the unconventional tool of Science Fiction Prototyping, where science fiction stories based on research are used to explore how people will interact with technology in the future. These stories, in fact, acted as prototypes that helped researchers envision the new kind of robot and led to new approaches in software and artificial intelligence (AI).

The robot’s brain, consisting of hardware and software known as artificial intelligence (AI), is modeled on the human brain [Source from our previous conversation history, 196]. This approach was inspired by Dr. Simon Egerton’s research into designing social robots meant to operate in complex environments like human homes, by taking inspiration from human behavior and how our brains work.

The robot brain is conceptually split into three parts:

1. The Autonomic System (or subconscious): This part handles the crucial, low-level functions automatically, freeing up the rest of the brain for more complex tasks. In the context of the 21st Century Robot, this includes controlling walking and balance, communicating with the servo motors through a microcontroller.
2. The Conscious Mind: This is where the robot’s personality and character reside, and where higher-level thinking occurs.
3. The Reflex Core: Acting as a translator and traffic cop, this thin strip allows signals to move between the conscious mind and the autonomic system, using primitives to speed up the transfer of information.

A key insight from Simon Egerton’s research that influenced the robot brain’s architecture was the idea of allowing robots to make both good and bad decisions. Just as humans learn by making mistakes, the belief was that allowing robots to do so would accelerate their learning process. This complexity required a new system architecture.

This new architecture emerged from the collaboration of Simon Egerton, Vic Callaghan, and Graham Clarke, drawing on the concept of multiple personalities or personas from psychoanalytic theory. This persona-based approach illuminates how humans adapt to changing contexts by switching between different sets of behaviors (personas). Applying this to AI meant envisioning the robot’s intelligence as a collection of different actions or behaviors.

This concept led to a significant breakthrough: the realization that these personas could be grouped together and that new behaviors could be generated or downloaded, much like apps on a smartphone. This made programming and personalizing social robots easier for everyone. As stated, “Our robots became smartphones with legs”.

The software that powers the robot’s brain is structured in four layers, built upon open source principles (using platforms like ROS and DARwin-OP) to promote accessibility and sharing:

1. Action Primitives Layer: This layer operates at the bridge between the conscious and autonomic parts of the brain, controlling low-level motor functions and enabling basic movements like walking.
2. Social Primitives Layer: Unlike traditional robots focused on physical manipulation, 21st Century Robots are designed to be social. This layer simplifies the complexities of social interaction, handling basic behaviors like listening, gesturing, and talking. It helps the robot figure out where to stand, when to make eye contact, and how to use gestures appropriately.
3. Character Layer: This layer defines the robot’s personality and behaviors, determining how it will respond in different situations and what vocabulary it will use. It uses the social and action primitives to interact with the subconscious part of the brain.
4. App Layer: This layer allows users to customize their robot by writing or downloading applications (apps) using application programming interfaces (APIs). These apps can transform the robot into various tools or companions, such as an alarm clock or a game machine, with its function influenced by its personality.

A development environment called “Your Robot” is provided to allow individuals to explore and develop their robot’s brain, including programming movements and downloading apps. Additionally, robots can be given a voice with customizable attributes like volume, pitch, and speed.

The open source nature of the software means that anyone can access and modify the code, from the low-level primitives to the personality layer and apps, fostering collaboration and building upon others’ ideas. This accessibility to designing and programming the robot brain is central to the project’s goal of empowering everyone to create their best robot ever.

Creating Our Social Robot Companions

Drawing on the information in the provided sources and our conversation history, Social Robots are a central concept within Brian David Johnson’s 21st Century Robot Project. The project champions a radical shift in how robots are perceived and created, moving them from the confines of universities and corporations in the 20th century to becoming accessible companions for nearly anyone in the 21st century. The core goal is to make the production and use of robots as common as caring for a family pet.

The 21st Century Robots are intentionally designed to be fiercely social. Unlike traditional robots often relegated to industrial tasks (sometimes referred to as “Dirty, Dangerous, Dull” or 3D tasks) or locked away in labs, these new robots are primarily designed to act and interact with people. They are envisioned as companions and friends, not just servants. The project aims for a future where robots are as common and normal as smartphones, tablets, and TVs, becoming a part of our daily lives.

The journey to creating social robots begins with imagination. You must first envision the robot’s personality, name, and how it will interact with people. Science fiction, grounded in science fact, serves as a powerful tool and even a technical requirements document to help imagine and design these social robots. The fictional robots in the project, like Jimmy, were first conceived in science fiction stories.

Design plays a crucial role in a social robot’s reception. The exoskeleton, or outer shell, is significant in conveying personality and influencing how people perceive the robot. Designers deliberately aimed for a look that was cute, approachable, and friendly, like Jimmy, drawing inspiration from characters like E.T. to avoid scaring people. The design needs to ensure the robot looks like it wants to be your friend. The question of whether a robot is a boy, girl, or neither is also relevant to social design, often depending on context, story, and how humans generally perceive machines (often defaulting to male unless cues like color are added). Children, notably Ms. Moore’s first-grade class, instinctively imagine these robots as friends and companions, desiring interactions like playing, dancing, and helping with chores, rather than seeing them as servants.

The robot’s brain, the artificial intelligence (AI), is key to its social capabilities and is modeled on the human brain. This architecture includes an autonomic system (for low-level functions like movement), a conscious mind (for personality and higher-level thinking), and a reflex core connecting the two. Inspired by research into enabling robots to make both good and bad decisions (like humans) to accelerate learning, a new persona-based architecture was developed. This approach views the robot’s intelligence as a collection of actions or behaviors that can be grouped and added, much like apps on a smartphone, making it easier for anyone to program and personalize a social robot. As one collaborator noted, “Our robots became smartphones with legs”.

The software enabling social interaction is structured in layers:

• The Action Primitives Layer handles basic movements necessary for a robot to operate in a physical, social environment, freeing up the rest of the brain.
• The Social Primitives Layer simplifies the complexities of social interaction, managing behaviors like listening, gesturing, talking, deciding where to stand, and making eye contact in a socially appropriate manner. This layer allows the robot to react naturally without extensive processing.
• The Character Layer defines the robot’s personality, behaviors, and vocabulary, using the primitives to guide interactions.
• The App Layer allows users to customize their robot through applications (apps) and APIs, enabling it to function as different tools or companions (like an alarm clock or game machine), with the robot’s personality influencing how the app is performed.

The open source nature of the software and hardware is fundamental to making social robots accessible. It allows individuals to access, modify, share designs and code, fostering collaboration and innovation within a community of builders worldwide. This collective effort, from scientists and engineers to makers and first-grade students, drives the project forward.

Ultimately, social robots are seen as more than just machines; they are viewed as companions that can form relationships with humans. There can be bonds developed between humans and robots, even in professional settings. The project aims to empower everyone to create their best robot ever, resulting in seven billion unique, social robots filled with humanity and dreams. These robots are intended to be extensions of ourselves, reflecting our hopes and dreams, and helping us explore our own humanity and relationships.

The Open Source 21st Century Robot Project

Based on the provided sources and our conversation history, let’s discuss Open Source within the context of Brian David Johnson’s 21st Century Robot Project.

The concept of open source is a fundamental principle of the 21st Century Robot Project. The underlying idea is that people should have control over the technology we use. This means we should have the ability to build it, modify it, and share it. This practice and community became popular around the end of the 20th century with the growth of the internet and software like the open source operating system Linux.

The 21st Century Robot Project embraces this philosophy fully:

• A 21st Century Robot is completely open source.
• This starts with the 3D design files for the robot’s body, allowing everyone to design and customize their own robot.
• The software that runs the robot and makes up its brain is free and open.
• Users are encouraged to play with the operating system and design different apps for their robot.
• A core aspect is the encouragement to share designs with others. If you create a cool new leg design or app, you should share it so others can use and build upon it.
• The production of these robots is also open, enabling people all over the world to collaborate to build better, smarter, funnier, and more exciting robots.

This open source approach is seen as a key factor in removing the barriers that had previously limited robot creation primarily to large universities and corporations in the 20th century. Technological advances combined with open source software and hardware have made it possible for anyone to imagine, design, build, and program their own robot in the 21st century. Open source hardware taps into the creativity of millions of smart developers and non-traditional builders.

The software powering the robot’s brain is structured in layers (Action Primitives, Social Primitives, Character, and App layers). This software runs on open source operating systems like ROS (Robot Operating System) and DARwin-OP, which were developed by universities to advance robotics and artificial intelligence. The open source nature of these platforms means you can see and change the code if you want to. Both ROS and DARwin-OP have large communities of students, inventors, and makers who actively share ideas and solve problems online, which is a significant benefit of this approach. The project provides a development environment called “Your Robot” and encourages users to play with the code, whether it’s low-level functions, personality layers, or developing/downloading apps. The website http://www.21stCenturyRobot.com is a hub for accessing the software and connecting with the community.

The open source initiative in robotics is specifically aimed at lowering the barrier to entry and making it easier for people to get started. This accessibility is crucial for allowing the tremendous potential of robots to be realized, by getting them everywhere and letting people build them. It is believed that the amazing ideas will come from these new points of view.

Ultimately, the goal of the 21st Century Robot Project is not to build one “best robot ever”. Instead, through open source design and the creativity it enables, everyone can take what others have done and modify it to make their best robot ever. The project aims to provide the tools, materials, design files, and code necessary for everyone to imagine, design, build, program, and share their own robots. This collective effort, driven by open source principles, is intended to lead to a future with seven billion best robots ever, each reflecting the unique humanity and dreams of its creator. As illustrator Sandy Winkelman noted, he’s most excited to see what people do when they start creating their own robots.

Download PDF Book

Read or Download The PDF Book – 21st Century Robot

By Amjad Izhar
Contact: amjad.izhar@gmail.com
https://amjadizhar.blog

Affiliate Disclosure: This blog may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers. Your support helps keep this blog running and allows me to continue providing you with quality content. Thank you for your support!