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@Dwelling Training initiative, supporting colleges and establishments in introducing AI and repair robotic improvement to college students. Their purpose is to equip learners with sensible AI utility expertise in laptop imaginative and prescient, autonomous navigation, object manipulation and speech interactions.

By way of their AI robotics and AI purposes workshops, Lattel Robotics gives an introduction to robotic working system (ROS)-based AI purposes improvement in service robotics. As a {hardware} associate for the RoboCup@Dwelling Training initiative, they help colleges and establishments in competing in AI robotic challenges by creating purposes that handle real-world issues. Their AI studying options embrace 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. May 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. In addition to, 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 slightly query about this. Do you will have an API (Software Programming Interface) that college students and researchers can work by means of?

Jerry: It’s not all the time crucial, because the robotic is provided with its personal laptop computer, appearing as a central processing unit. Getting began is less complicated, 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 fashionable instruments amongst AI researchers and builders.

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

Jerry: The robotic platform is already built-in and able to be deployed. For our AI studying gadget, Juno2, all you could 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) setting with ROS, with none software program set up.

AI studying gadget, Juno2.

Andrea: How do you’re employed with colleges?

Jerry: We’re an schooling answer supplier, supporting colleges and establishments that need 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 newcomers. Then utilizing a train-the-trainers method, we provide 3-day AI robotics workshops utilizing Jupiter2 or 2-day AI purposes workshops utilizing Juno2. By way of 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 possibly can join by way of a distant desktop software program out of your laptop and proceed programming. As talked about simply now, we even have a smaller gadget referred to as Juno2, designed for classroom use. You don’t want the complete robotic setup on this case; you should use this gadget to do laptop imaginative and prescient and speech interactions purposes. It’s a plug-and-play answer that works with any laptop computer or working system, routinely 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 residence or wherever they’re.

Andrea: If in case you have a robotic like this, can extra 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. If in case you have an engineering background, you possibly can modify the {hardware} based mostly on the necessities. This flexibility permits each newcomers 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. Up to now 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: Improbable, 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 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.