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 intently with the RoboCup@Residence Schooling initiative, supporting colleges and establishments in introducing AI and repair robotic improvement to college students. Their purpose is to equip learners with sensible AI software abilities in pc imaginative and prescient, autonomous navigation, object manipulation and speech interactions.

Via their AI robotics and AI purposes workshops, Lattel Robotics presents an introduction to robotic working system (ROS)-based AI purposes improvement in service robotics. As a {hardware} companion for the RoboCup@Residence Schooling initiative, they help colleges and establishments in competing in AI robotic challenges by creating purposes that tackle real-world issues. Their AI studying options embrace establishing 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, we’ve microphones and audio system for speech interplay, together with robotic arms for object manipulation and cell platforms for navigation.

Andrea: So, I’ve a little bit query about this. Do you will have an API (Utility Programming Interface) that college students and researchers can work by means of?

Jerry: It’s not at all times vital, because the robotic is provided with its personal laptop computer, appearing as a central processing unit. Getting began is simpler, as we’ve built-in the {hardware} platform with open-source software program like OpenCV and YOLO, utilizing the Robotic Working System (ROS1 and ROS2). These are fashionable 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 that you must do is to attach it to a laptop computer by way of a USB port and you may right away 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 resolution 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 rookies. Then utilizing a train-the-trainers method, we provide 3-day AI robotics workshops utilizing Jupiter2 or 2-day AI purposes workshops utilizing Juno2. Via these workshops, educators are given an summary 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 may 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 total robotic setup on this case; you need to use this machine to do pc imaginative and prescient and speech interactions purposes. It’s a plug-and-play resolution that works with any laptop computer or working system, mechanically loading Ubuntu, ROS and our Jupiter software program improvement frameworks. It’s good for conducting on-line courses, as college students can proceed studying from dwelling or wherever they’re.

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

Jerry: Sure, positively. That’s query. Jupiter2 is an open platform that’s
customisable and reconfigurable. When you’ve got an engineering background, you may modify the {hardware} based mostly on the necessities. This flexibility permits each rookies and superior customers to concentrate on 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, we’ve exported to Europe, Africa, South and North America earlier than. To date 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: Incredible, thanks in your time and insights. I want you continued success sooner or later!

You 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 the moment working the AI robotics schooling and coaching corporations in Malaysia and Singapore. Striving to empower anybody in getting began to be taught AI purposes virtually, Jerry works intently with colleges and tutorial establishments in establishing laboratories and creating courseware.