UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Named after famed scientist, robot readied for life of mall drudgery

He has facial expressions, speaks classical Arabic and wears elegant traditional robes. 

Perfect, scientists say, for directing hungry shoppers to the food court.

Students and faculty at United Arab Emirates University in Al-Ain have created what a team at the university's lab says is the world's first Arabic-speaking socially interactive robot.

Nicholas Mavrides, a professor of computer science, said the human-like Ibn Sina, named after the Islamic philosopher and scientist commonly known in English as Avicenna, said the robot could be used as a receptionist, salesman or shopping assistant at one of the Persian Gulf's many shopping malls.

"We're very close to being able to get him to work as a receptionist or a helper in a mall," he told Agence France Presse. "If we work on it in a group of five people, we will be able to develop those skills in six months to make him ready for full operations."

-- Los Angeles Times

Photo: Karim Sahib / AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[Pirouz]

Still, it is humorous that the UAE students and faculty seem to have adopted an Iranian hero from history as their own.

Not the first time, either. Saddam Hussein put Iranian scientist Alhazen on the obverse of the Iraqi 10,000 dinars banknote issued in 2003!

The vast majority of the so-called "Islamic" scientists of history were in fact Iranian. The fact that so many Arabs consider them as their own is indeed a supreme- if unintentional- compliment.

[Colin]

Wow, so much racism in only a few comments. Glad to see the readership of the LA Times is staying classy... and Mike, you're right. "Persian" is an ethnic group, and "Islam" is the religion. You can be both, one, or neither.

[Canjac Canjar]

Lol @ Chuck B

[russell]

Do not discount advances in robotics. If the researchers were French or Japanese you might not be giggling or splitting hairs. The integration of softwares and sensory data required for this sort of a project is immense, so let's not condescend.

Perhaps you find is galling that the story comes first out of the UAE with what looks like a second rate animatronic. At least they're investing in the research for civilian uses. The real issue is that social robots are expert systems which will be everywhere in five years time. Are you ready for that?

[truth to power]

I wonder if he will ever have a burka wearing female ccompanion?

[Mike]

Jim obviously has no idea what he is talking about. Persian is not a religion, and Islamic or Christian are not nationalities. Ibn Sina was both Muslim(Islamic) and Persian, he was not however Muslim and Arab.

The equivalant would be calling Einstein a Jewish scientist and having someone get upset because in fact he is an American/German scientist. The two are not incompatable.

[Chuck B]

Does he also come strapped with explosives under that fancy robe?

[Jim]

Ibn Sina was a great PERSIAN philosopher and scientist, not an Islamic. Its just like saying Einstein was a Christian scientist.

[Jan Kerr]

And he can always double as a terrorist.

[Foo Bar]

"DURKA DURKA The food court is to the left!"

"DURKA DURKA Try the fabulous Shawarma!"

"DURKA DURKA Goats milk will help you grow tall and strong!"