Francesco Nori
Providing Robots with Advanced Action and Interaction Capabilities
AI is one thing. Applying that artificial intelligence to make a machine physically interact with you is the next step. And that is what Francesco Nori, who today heads Google DeepMind, is working on assiduously. The Italian PhD in Control and Dynamical Systems believes that robots of the next generations will not only be able to converse, but also become truly mobile. Though that still poses quite a few challenges.
Today, robot testing happens in a rigid, controlled environment, “but gradually robots will need not only advanced decision-making autonomy,” says Nori, “but also adaptability and the capacity to understand the intention of ‘others.’ To deal with scenarios of increasing complexity, my research focuses on three domains: modelling, compliance and control. The ultimate goal is to provide humanoids with advanced action and interaction capabilities.”