NIT Rourkela's human-like AI robot can understand everyday language, recognise emotions
New Delhi, Dec 11
Researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela have developed a robotic system designed to interact with people in the most human-like manner.
Developed using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs), the social robot can understand everyday language, follow spoken commands, answer questions, and engage in real-time conversations beyond pre-coded responses.
It is also capable of recognising users’ emotions by interpreting facial expressions, such as happy, neutral, or sad. It can greet users, provide instructions, and reply using natural-sounding speech.
The system, which can be used in homes, classrooms, offices, hospitals, and community spaces, can also detect simple gestures such as waving and raising a hand, and react appropriately.
“The indigenously developed robotic system significantly aligns with the Government of India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. In contrast to existing systems available globally, NIT Rourkela’s social robot introduces a uniquely integrated framework that combines gesture, emotion, speech, and LLM-based conversational abilities within a cost-effective platform suitable for Indian contexts,†said Dr. Anup Nandy, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, NIT Rourkela.
The Institute has also secured a patent for the developed innovation and system.
The robot uses the Raspberry Pi system to process user inputs such as spoken commands or text-based queries.
The LLM analyses the input, determines the context, and produces an appropriate, human-like response. This output is then delivered through the robot’s speech system using Google Text-to-Speech.
The robot is equipped with a wheel-based platform and navigation system for easy movement. The built-in distance-sensing module allows it to avoid obstacles and ensure safe movement in a crowded setup.
The developed robot, detailed in the paper published in the Computers and Electrical Engineering journal, is expected to cost between Rs 80,000 and Rs 90,000 based on manufacturing scale and component optimisation, said the researchers.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Wow! Understanding emotions and everyday language is a big leap. Imagine this assisting elderly parents at home when their children are away in different cities. That would be a game-changer for Indian families.
Impressive integration of gesture, emotion, and speech on a cost-effective platform like Raspberry Pi. The research paper in Computers and Electrical Engineering adds credibility. Hope to see real-world deployment data soon.
While the tech sounds amazing, I have a respectful criticism. The article mentions Google Text-to-Speech. For true 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', shouldn't we also develop our own high-quality Indian language TTS systems? Dependency on foreign tech for core functions remains a concern.
₹80-90k is still quite expensive for the average Indian household, but for institutional use in schools and community centres, it's a great start. Bardiya! Hope the cost comes down with mass production. The emotion recognition for student learning could be revolutionary.
Securing a patent is the key step! Now the challenge is commercialisation. We have a history of great research in IITs/NITs that doesn't reach the market. Hope this team finds the right industry partners to make this a product we can actually buy.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.