Toyota Research Institute Uses Generative AI to Teach Robots Breakfast-Making Skills

Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is pushing the boundaries of robotics by using generative AI to teach robots how to make breakfast.

 Unlike traditional methods that require extensive coding, TRI's approach involves giving robots a sense of touch. This tactile capability allows the robots to "feel" their actions, making complex tasks easier to execute.

The institute is working on developing "Large Behavior Models" for robots, which learn by observing and then generalize new skills. According to Russ Tedrake, MIT robotics professor and VP of robotics research at TRI, these LBMs can perform skills they've never been explicitly taught.

The researchers have already trained the robots in over 60 challenging skills, such as pouring liquids and using tools, with plans to reach 1,000 skills by the end of 2024.

 Google and Tesla are also conducting similar research.

Their robots use experience to infer how to perform tasks, much like TRI's approach.

However, the process is generally slow and labor-intensive, requiring more than just feeding data to an AI model.

Despite these challenges, TRI's research represents a significant advancement in the field of robotics, demonstrating the potential for AI-trained robots to carry out complex tasks with minimal instruction.

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