4 ms·

There's Waldo is a robot that finds Waldo (2018) [video]

43 points by downboots 3y ago

notfed 3y ago
I like how turning a page is a harder problem than finding Waldo.
- ortusdux 3y ago
  I do enjoy the various methods of automatic page turning used by book scanning machines. None of them are simpler than a toy robot arm and a cheap USB webcam! - Flipping - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ccxwNssmo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ccxwNssmo - Arm with suction - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoICY1fHQsA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoICY1fHQsA - Linear vacuum (google) - https://linearbookscanner.org/ https://linearbookscanner.org/ - Vacuum prism scanner (40+ ppm!) - https://www.treventus.com/scanner/automatic-book-scanner https://www.treventus.com/scanner/automatic-book-scanner
  - tjoff 3y ago
    I mean, a toy robot arm and a cheap USB webcam sounds really hard to do with good accuracy. Nice collection of machines :)
    - ortusdux 3y ago
      I did wonder if they had the machine check finger to waldo distance and then readjust accordingly.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- tanseydavid 3y ago
  Perhaps many of us humans can be retrained for page-turning and thus have purpose in the new era while filling a market need. <tongue-in-cheek>
- orenlindsey 3y ago
  I know, it's actually funny how hard turning pages is for robots.
- pavon 3y ago
  They need a Waldo to do that.
- fsckboy 3y ago
  speaking of hand turned pages, your comment gave me an idea for a masochistic Waldo book: many pages, many pictures, but only one Waldo in the whole book. Maybe with more learning about geography or something while you find where in the world is Waldo so it's not as frustrating
lolc 3y ago
This is both hilarious and so banal, I'm oscillating between the two states.
Waterluvian 3y ago
Now we need to make an engine that generates Where’s Waldo scenes, and have the robot working off a flat screen and let it run forever. If we don’t give these robots ditch digging jobs they’ll take ours. ;)
- teeray 3y ago
  One AI hides Waldo, another AI finds him. Waldo finding time is used as proof of work. Shower me with VC money.
- Terr_ 3y ago
  The Hider was pleased, insofar as it could be said to have emotions. Any moment now, it would decisively ensure Waldo was hidden, safe beyond reach and detection. Its nanobots had finished binding the last delicate molecules of cellulose and ink, structured according to ancient tradition. Now the field-generators spun up for the final publishing: The Finder would not succeed. The scientists screamed and pounded against the glass, as the Hider carefully fed the newborn singularity its first atom.
  - Waterluvian 3y ago
    That was amazing.
    - Terr_ 3y ago
      Thank you. Alas, the Finder may have a route to victory: https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a43519907/black-hole-paradox-stephen-hawking-finally-solved/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a43519907/...
oniony 3y ago
Missed an opportunity to put a saveloy to great effect.
pigtailgirl 3y ago
-- this was 5+ years ago - wonder what they would change today --
schubart 3y ago
My robot uses the same rubber hands! https://github.com/schubart/donald https://github.com/schubart/donald
gpderetta 3y ago
Of corse There's Waldo uses a waldo[1] to point to Waldo. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_manipulator https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_manipulator
- yarone 3y ago
  From Heinlein's Waldo & Magic Inc, a fun and worthwhile read (and audiobook)
fsckboy 3y ago
it was fun to watch, but it would make a better demo if it was more of a Wherefore Are Thou Waldo that can talk about its process as it solves the problem

43 points by downboots 3y ago

notfed 3y ago

I like how turning a page is a harder problem than finding Waldo.

ortusdux 3y ago
I do enjoy the various methods of automatic page turning used by book scanning machines. None of them are simpler than a toy robot arm and a cheap USB webcam! - Flipping - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ccxwNssmo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03ccxwNssmo - Arm with suction - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoICY1fHQsA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoICY1fHQsA - Linear vacuum (google) - https://linearbookscanner.org/ https://linearbookscanner.org/ - Vacuum prism scanner (40+ ppm!) - https://www.treventus.com/scanner/automatic-book-scanner https://www.treventus.com/scanner/automatic-book-scanner
- tjoff 3y ago
  I mean, a toy robot arm and a cheap USB webcam sounds really hard to do with good accuracy. Nice collection of machines :)
  - ortusdux 3y ago
    I did wonder if they had the machine check finger to waldo distance and then readjust accordingly.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
tanseydavid 3y ago
Perhaps many of us humans can be retrained for page-turning and thus have purpose in the new era while filling a market need. <tongue-in-cheek>
orenlindsey 3y ago
I know, it's actually funny how hard turning pages is for robots.
pavon 3y ago
They need a Waldo to do that.
fsckboy 3y ago
speaking of hand turned pages, your comment gave me an idea for a masochistic Waldo book: many pages, many pictures, but only one Waldo in the whole book. Maybe with more learning about geography or something while you find where in the world is Waldo so it's not as frustrating

lolc 3y ago

This is both hilarious and so banal, I'm oscillating between the two states.

Waterluvian 3y ago

Now we need to make an engine that generates Where’s Waldo scenes, and have the robot working off a flat screen and let it run forever. If we don’t give these robots ditch digging jobs they’ll take ours. ;)

teeray 3y ago
One AI hides Waldo, another AI finds him. Waldo finding time is used as proof of work. Shower me with VC money.
Terr_ 3y ago
The Hider was pleased, insofar as it could be said to have emotions. Any moment now, it would decisively ensure Waldo was hidden, safe beyond reach and detection. Its nanobots had finished binding the last delicate molecules of cellulose and ink, structured according to ancient tradition. Now the field-generators spun up for the final publishing: The Finder would not succeed. The scientists screamed and pounded against the glass, as the Hider carefully fed the newborn singularity its first atom.
- Waterluvian 3y ago
  That was amazing.
  - Terr_ 3y ago
    Thank you. Alas, the Finder may have a route to victory: https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a43519907/black-hole-paradox-stephen-hawking-finally-solved/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/deep-space/a43519907/...

oniony 3y ago

Missed an opportunity to put a saveloy to great effect.

pigtailgirl 3y ago

-- this was 5+ years ago - wonder what they would change today --

schubart 3y ago

My robot uses the same rubber hands! https://github.com/schubart/donald https://github.com/schubart/donald

gpderetta 3y ago

Of corse There's Waldo uses a waldo[1] to point to Waldo. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_manipulator https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_manipulator

yarone 3y ago
From Heinlein's Waldo & Magic Inc, a fun and worthwhile read (and audiobook)

fsckboy 3y ago

it was fun to watch, but it would make a better demo if it was more of a Wherefore Are Thou Waldo that can talk about its process as it solves the problem