Industrial Automation Magazine India

OMRON and Square Enix launch joint research on AI That Helps Motivate Humans

Published on : Monday 16-12-2019

Table Tennis Robot "Forpheus" Equipped with Joint Research Technology to Be Exhibited at "CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2020".

Kyoto, December 2019 – OMRON Corporation of Kyoto and Square Enix Co Ltd of Tokyo announced on December 13 the commencement of joint research on "artificial intelligence (AI) that helps motivate humans for FORPHEUS, an innovative table tennis robot tutor that harnesses OMRON's state-of-the-art technology. Through this joint research, the two companies aim to develop an AI algorithm that generates motivational feedback from vital data and other kinds of information, thereby establishing technology that brings out the ability to stimulate dramatic human growth.

Based on the philosophy of founder Kazuma Tateisi, "To the machine, the work of the machine; to man, the thrill of further creation," OMRON aims to shape a future that achieves "harmony between humans and machines," with the latter bringing out the abilities and creativity of the former through the core technology "Sensing & Control + Think." In 2013, the table tennis robot "Forpheus" was developed in order to introduce "harmony between humans and machines" by the core technology "Sensing & Control + Think" in an easy-to-understand manner. Since then, OMRON has evolved its core technology every year to bring out human abilities. Featuring cutting-edge AI, robotics, and sensing & control technologies, the latest 5th-generation FORPHEUS possesses playing skills high enough to maintain a rally with professional players. The robot's excellent coaching skills promote the growth of human players by optimizing returns and providing players with personalized tips based on a thorough understanding of each individual person.

Under the framework of this joint research, the two companies aim to develop AI that can realize personalised coaching to enhance each player's motivation to play better by combining OMRON's proprietary "sensing technology for reading human emotions and ability" and Square Enix's "AI technology (Meta-AI*) for differentiating how a game unfolds for each player to stimulate an emotional response in them," which the company has fostered through the development of electronic games. As humans communicate with machines equipped with this AI while they play table tennis together, it is hoped that a new relationship between humans and machines – machines drawing the best performance out of humans – will be made a reality.

OMRON will exhibit its latest generation of FORPHEUS at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) (R) 2020, which will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, the U.S., on January 7-10, 2020.