Photos: Robots get smart

An exhibition illustrating the application of artificial intelligence in robots was featured as part of the jointly held 2006 National Conference on Artificial Intelligence and the 2006 Conference on Innovative Applications of Artificial Intelligence. The conference takes place this week in Boston.

For example, the Bryn Mawr Pyro Robotics team, led by Douglas Blank, brought an Aibo robot with a SEED program and a baby gym to illustrate the artificial intelligence concept of self-teaching as a way to develop human-level intelligence in robots. If put in a stimulating environment and told to choose an action that will garner more information about itself, this robot will explore its world and learn, Blank said.