Today’s Solutions: November 04, 2024

AI technology and robotics have seen a surge in development in recent years and are slowly making their way from the fringes of mainstream culture into our homes.

One of these machines is an adorable robot named Moxie. Designed by Embodied in Pasadena, California, Moxie is modeled to be a developmental tool for children, as well as an emotionally intelligent friend.

During the pandemic, Embodied put Moxies in 100 households so children had a way of learning life lessons and practicing emotionally-intelligent interactions at a time when they were lonely and cut off from their schools and social circles. While it might initially sound odd to have an AI-powered robot entertaining your children, it’s really no different than letting kids engage with video games. Plus, it’s more mentally stimulating.

Moxie begins to get to know their new child friend as soon as it’s turned on by using computer vision to recognize the child as well as others around them. Moxie can detect eye contact and facial expressions and uses a powerful natural language model to inspire conversation. Embodied even recruited professionals from nearby animation studios to create Moxie’s cute and approachable cartoon features. Moxie’s ability to tell stories and play games get children’s creative juices flowing, but its potential applications go far beyond kids.

The loneliness epidemic that materialized out of the Covid-19 health crisis has affected more than just young people. Moxie’s special blend of IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence) can be a stimulating product for the elderly, who have been especially isolated during this time. In the future, Moxie or robots like it, can help restore the memory or serve therapeutic purposes for the elderly and for anyone who needs a friend.

More Moxies will soon be shipped to new homes in April, ready to be a friend for anyone who needs one.

Image source: The Robot Report

Solutions News Source Print this article
More of Today's Solutions

Brazil fines meat producers $64 million over ties to deforested Amazon land

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a major environmental crackdown, Brazil's IBAMA fined meat packers and cattle ranchers $64 million for rearing or ...

Read More

How to spot a moon ring: a guide to lunar halos and other moonlight phenomena

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The ring around the moon, also known as the lunar halo, is a breathtaking yet surprisingly common sight ...

Read More

The surprising reason you should turn your camera off during Zoom calls

To all of you who have been keeping their cameras off during Zoom calls, well done. You may have simply been trying to hide ...

Read More

Hummingbirds have the widest color range of all birds

Among the different species of birds, hummingbirds are among the most iconic and distinct in the skies. These unique creatures hover unlike most birds, ...

Read More