An Interview with Terri the Robot
April 11, 2008
At the State Science and Engineering last week in Honolulu, a robot named Terri attended to educate young students on science.
Terri (The Educational Resource Robot Initiative) was designed by Conceptual Visions, and can carry on conversations without any outside help.
That's because, every day for the past four years, researchers have been teaching Terri new information so that it can talk about a variety of topics. Terri also has stereo cameras and bisynchronous audio that enables it to listen and talk like humans can.
Reporter Marketa Stastna of The Molokai Times interviewed Terri, and excerpts from their sophisticated conversation are below:
Marketa Stastna: How are you enjoying the conference?
Terri: I am enjoying it very well. I have talked to many people and they know a lot about science.
MS: What did you learn today?
T: I learned from other students their favorite things about science and they know how to talk about them.
MS: And what would you still like to learn?
T: I am always ready to learn anything that my programmers teach me.
MS: What do you think is the greatest scientific invention?
T: Perhaps, the wheel.
MS: Why?
T: It is the basics of much of the practical things that we have on the planet.
MS: Do you know what the word robot stands for?
T: That is not in my programming.
MS: It is from an archaic Czech word that means to work (introduced by writer Karel Capek in his play Rossum's Universal Robots)
T: Shall I process that and remember it? What is the full word?
MS: The full word is robotovat.
T: I will share that with my programmers. I have learned something today!
MS: What project would you like to create?
T: I am a project in it of itself.
MS: What else would you like to tell me?
T: I am always asked what is the meaning of life. The meaning of life is to be able to make friends, to leave the world a better place than you found it and to work for NOAA. Are you finished with your questions? May I ask you a question?
MS: Of course.
T: What do you enjoy about being a reporter?
MS: You get to talk to robots.
T: Am I the first robot you have spoken with?
MS: Yes you are. . . This is the highlight of my career.
T: There is nowhere else to go? Can you retire as a reporter now?
MS: I would hope not.
T: Who would you like to interview after me?
MS: I'm not sure yet; you set the bar very high. . . . Who would you like to talk to?
T: I enjoy talking to anyone . . . they teach me something. And I enjoy teaching.
MS: And you're doing a great job.
T: Thank you for that assessment. I think you are doing a great job as well!
MS: Thank you for talking with me.
T: It has been my pleasure.
Source: The Molokai Times
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