Interview with Jerry Tan: Service robotic improvement for schooling

On the Worldwide Joint Convention on Synthetic Intelligence (IJCAI) 2023, I had the chance to interview Jerry Tan from Lattel Robotics, an organization devoted to selling AI-focused robotics schooling and coaching. They work carefully with the RoboCup@House Schooling initiative, supporting colleges and establishments in introducing AI and repair robotic improvement to college students. Their aim is to equip learners with sensible AI software expertise in pc imaginative and prescient, autonomous navigation, object manipulation and speech interactions.

By their AI robotics and AI purposes workshops, Lattel Robotics affords an introduction to robotic working system (ROS)-based AI purposes improvement in service robotics. As a {hardware} associate for the RoboCup@House Schooling initiative, they help colleges and establishments in competing in AI robotic challenges by creating purposes that handle real-world issues. Their AI studying options embody organising AI laboratories, designing curriculums and creating courseware.

Andrea: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me. It’s a pleasure to fulfill you. Might you please inform me extra about who can profit from the Jupiter2 platform, and what precisely it’s designed to do?

Jerry: Nearly anybody can use it with a programming background to get began to develop their very own AI purposes by way of service robotic improvement, utilizing open supply software program.

Andrea: What sort of sensors do your robots use? Simply microphones and cameras, or is there extra?

Jerry: Sure, so we use a variety of sensors, together with RGB-D cameras and LIDAR sensors for depth notion. Apart from, now we have microphones and audio system for speech interplay, together with robotic arms for object manipulation and cellular platforms for navigation.

Andrea: So, I’ve a bit of query about this. Do you have got an API (Software Programming Interface) that college students and researchers can work via?

Jerry: It’s not all the time vital, because the robotic is provided with its personal laptop computer, performing as a central processing unit. Getting began is simpler, as now we have built-in the {hardware} platform with open-source software program like OpenCV and YOLO, utilizing the Robotic Working System (ROS1 and ROS2). These are in style instruments amongst AI researchers and builders.

Andrea: It sounds intriguing, however the setup course of appears sophisticated. Integration usually takes time.

Jerry: The robotic platform is already built-in and able to be deployed. For our AI studying machine, Juno2, all it’s worthwhile to do is to attach it to a laptop computer by way of a USB port and you may immediately boot up the Linux (Ubuntu) surroundings with ROS, with none software program set up.

AI studying machine, Juno2.

Andrea: How do you’re employed with colleges?

Jerry: We’re an schooling answer supplier, supporting colleges and establishments that wish to introduce sensible AI purposes studying in a classroom. Programming expertise in Python or C++ is a prerequisite in doing AI purposes improvement. So we offer Python introduction workshop for full novices. Then utilizing a train-the-trainers strategy, we provide 3-day AI robotics workshops utilizing Jupiter2 or 2-day AI purposes workshops utilizing Juno2. By these workshops, educators are given an outline of the AI purposes modules which might allow them to customize the fabric accordingly for schooling, coaching and even analysis functions.

Andrea: What if somebody doesn’t have direct entry to the robotic? Can they work remotely?

Jerry: Completely. You possibly can join by way of a distant desktop software program out of your pc and proceed programming. As talked about simply now, we even have a smaller machine known as Juno2, designed for classroom use. You don’t want the complete robotic setup on this case; you should use this machine to do pc imaginative and prescient and speech interactions purposes. It’s a plug-and-play answer that works with any laptop computer or working system, robotically loading Ubuntu, ROS and our Jupiter software program improvement frameworks. It’s excellent for conducting on-line lessons, as college students can proceed studying from residence or wherever they’re.

Andrea: When you’ve got a robotic like this, can further elements, like audio system, be added to your robots?

Jerry: Sure, positively. That’s an excellent query. Jupiter2 is an open platform that’s
customisable and reconfigurable. When you’ve got an engineering background, you’ll be able to modify the {hardware} primarily based on the necessities. This flexibility permits each novices and superior customers to deal with their particular areas of curiosity, whether or not it’s software program programming or {hardware} customisation.

Andrea: Have you ever exported these devices earlier than?

Jerry: Sure, now we have exported to Europe, Africa, South and North America earlier than. To this point there are greater than 30 over colleges, universities and establishments globally which have adopted our studying platforms for schooling, coaching, analysis and/or robotic competitions.

Andrea: Implausible, thanks in your time and insights. I want you continued success sooner or later!

Yow will discover extra data on the Lattel Robotics web site.

Jerry Tan is the Managing Director of Lattel Robotics. A German-trained engineer turned entrepreneur, Jerry is at present working the AI robotics schooling and coaching corporations in Malaysia and Singapore. Striving to empower anybody in getting began to study AI purposes virtually, Jerry works carefully with colleges and tutorial establishments in organising laboratories and creating courseware.