Maker Faire Rome 2023
Hiroshi Ishiguro And The Robot In His Likeness At Maker Faire Rome
Home: Osaka, Japan
Geminoid HI-1 is an exact robotic replica of Hiroshi Ishiguro himself. It shares the same hairstyle, clothing, face, and demeanor. A star of conferences, presentations, and talks, Geminoid HI-1 is made of silicone rubber, has facial muscles, the actual hair of the Japanese professor, and can engage in articulate conversations in all languages. Ishiguro remotely controls his robot through a computer, a microphone, and a camera. Geminoid HI-1 is designed to replicate his gestures: speaking, blinking, and mimicking expressions.
“Hello, everyone, and welcome to this conference. Actually, I am a copy of Professor Ishiguro; I am an android. I am made of silicone, and inside me, there’s a computer. If I wanted, I could present this conference myself. Unfortunately, today he is here, so I will let him speak.”
These were the words of Geminoid HI-1 introducing its creator during one of its visits to Italy at the “Humanlike Robots And Future Society” conference held at the MACRO in Rome. However, despite its brilliance, Geminoid HI-1 cannot emulate all human behaviors. It is essential to remember why it was created, to explore the interaction between humans and machines, particularly understanding how our brains respond to the visual stimulus of a robot identical to a human being.
Maker
Hiroshi Ishiguro
Hiroshi Ishiguro has dedicated his research and studies to androids, geminoids, and telenoids. He is one of the most internationally renowned names in the field of artificial intelligence research, but what has truly made him famous are his humanoid robots, fascinating creations that symbolize the purpose of his research: integrating robots into everyday life. However, according to Ishiguro, to achieve this goal, we must acknowledge that as humans, we naturally tend to interact primarily with our own kind. The best way to facilitate interaction between humans and androids is, therefore, to make them similar. Ishiguro envisions a future where robots, fully integrated into society, resemble us in appearance, movements, voice, and reasoning. To demonstrate that this is possible, he created the robot that has garnered worldwide attention: Geminoid HI-1.
He is a professor in the Department of Innovation Systems at the Graduate School of Engineering Science at Osaka University. He conducts research at the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute (ATR) and is the author of renowned texts on robotics such as “Android Science” and “What Is a Robot?” He has also constructed some humanoid robots that have made him famous, including one in his own image and likeness.
What Inspired You to Make This?
To create robots that are increasingly similar to us, Ishiguro continues his research in the fields of cognitive neuroscience and sociology, emphasizing the importance of understanding humans thoroughly before creating something resembling them.
