Ryohei Nakatsu

Robovie: An interactive humanoid robot

The authors have developed a robot called “Robovie” that has unique mechanisms designed for communication with humans. Robovie can generate human‐like behaviors by using human‐like actuators and vision and audio sensors. Software is a key element in the systems development. Two important ideas in human‐robot communication through research from the viewpoint of cognitive science have been obtained – one is importance of physical expressions using the body and the other is the effectiveness of the robot’s autonomy in the robot’s utterance recognition by humans. Based on these psychological experiments, a new architecture that generates episode chains in interactions with humans is developed. The basic structure of the architecture is a network of situated modules. Each module consists of elemental behaviors to entrain humans and a behavior for communicating with humans.

A new framework for entertainment computing: from passive to active experience

In this paper a new framework for entertainment computing is introduced and discussed. Based on already existing models and concepts the different links and relationships between enjoyment, flow, presence, and different forms of experiences are shown and their contributions to the new framework reviewed. To address the more fundamental and theoretical issues regarding entertainment, we have to utilize existing theories in information processing, enjoyment and flow theory. Some already possible and probably important conclusions for the design of new entertainment system are drawn.

Reading a robot's mind: a model of utterance understanding based on the theory of mind mechanism

The purpose of this paper is to construct a methodology for smooth communication between humans and robots. Here, focus is on a mindreading mechanism, which is indispensable in human-human communication. We propose a model of utterance understanding based on this mechanism. Concretely speaking, we apply the model of a mindreading system to a model of human-robot communication. Moreover, we implement a robot interface system that applies our proposed model. The characteristic of our interface system is its ability to construct a relationship between a human and a robot by a method of having an agent, which interacts with the person, migrate from the mobile PC of the person to the robot. Psychological experiments were carried out to explore the validity of the following hypothesis: By reading a robots mind based on such a relationship, a person can estimate the robots intention with ease and, moreover, the person can even understand the robots unclear utterances made by synthesized speech sounds. The results of the experiments statistically supported our hypothesis.

Forms and theories of communication: from multimedia to Kansei Mediation

In this paper we describe a form of communication that could be used for lifelong learning as contribution to cultural computing. We call it Kansei Mediation. It is a multimedia communication concept that can cope with non-verbal, emotional and Kansei information. We introduce the distinction between the concepts of Kansei Communication and Kansei Media. We then develop a theory of communication (i.e. Kansei Mediation) as a combination of both. Based on recent results from brain research the proposed concept of Kansei Mediation is developed and discussed. The biased preference towards consciousness in established communication theories is critically reviewed and the relationship to pre- and unconscious brain processes explored. There are two tenets of the Kansei Mediation communication theory: (1) communication based on connected unconciousness, and (2) Satori as the ultimate form of experience.

Hand gesture recognition system using multiple cameras

We describe a method to detect hand position, posture and finger bendings using multiple camera images. Stable detection can be achieved by using skeleton images, and this is confirmed through experiments. This system can be used as a user interface device in a virtual environment, replacing glove-type devices and overcoming most of the disadvantages of contact-type devices. Future work includes verification of the methods availability as a gesture-based man-machine interface system.

Realization of Tai-Chi Motion Using a Humanoid Robot

Even though in recent years research and development of humanoid robots has increased, the major topics of research generally focus on how to make a robot perform specific motions such as walking. However, walking is only one of the complicated motions humans can perform. For robots to play an active role in society as our partner, they must be able to simulate precisely various kinds of human actions . We chose tai-chi as an example of complicated human actions and succeeded in programming a robot to perform the 24 fundamental tai-chi actions.

Kansei mediated entertainment

We present an extension of Kansei mediated communication in the field of entertainment. We propose to do so by implementing Cultural Computing concept and enriching it with Kansei Mediated Interaction. We present some inspiration for our approach in terms of culture and then discuss them. We relate our work to the Western and to the Eastern world. Thus we use cultural examples from England, France, Japan and China. Finally, we propose as a new direction for HCI, cultural computing with its related paradigm we call Kansei Mediated Interaction. Finally we propose Kansei Mediated Entertainment as a direction merging of Kansei and entertainment.

New Frontiers for Entertainment Computing

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings ofFirst IFIP Entertainment Computing Symposiumheld at the 20th World Computer Congressin Milano, Italyon September 7-10, 2008. The IFIP series publishes state-of-the-art results in the sciences and technologies of information and communication. The scope of the series includes: foundations of computer science; software theory and practice; education; computer applications in technology; communication systems; systems modeling and optimization; information systems; computers and society; computer systems technology; security and protection in information processing systems; artificial intelligence; and human-computer interaction. Proceedings and post-proceedings of refereed international conferences in computer science and interdisciplinary fields are featured. These results often precede journal publication and represent the most current research. The principal aim of the IFIP series is to encourage education and the dissemination and exchange of information about all aspects of computing.

Study of dance entertainment using robots

Dance is one of the entertainments where the physical movement is the key factor. On the other hand, the main reason why robots are kind of boom is that they have physical body. Combining there two element, a concept of a dancing robot is proposed. First, various kind of factors concerning entertainment and dance is studied. Also we describe the functions required for robots to achieve dancing. Then we describe one of the dancing robot we have developed focusing its hardware functions and show several examples of dance performance we have developed.

Entertainment computing : inaugural editorial

Entertainment computing is on its way getting an established research arena in industry and academia as well. To bring all the different contributing research communities together shared resources (e.g. email distribution list, conference series, and journals), organizational structures (e.g. special interests groups, technical committees, etc.) and unifying ideas are helpful. One unifying idea in this diverse community of entertainment researchers and developers might be a normative position to enhance human living through social transformation by entertainment technology.