DARPA's 'Social Puppet' 109
Roland Piquepaille writes "Videogame creators are heavily using software to animate objects or characters without reprogramming them between two scenes. Now, game designers from the University of Southern California (USC) have developed 'Social Puppet,' a computer engine to 'help soldiers learn unfamiliar languages by interacting with animated characters.' For this project, financed by DARPA, the researchers have used their expertise in previous videogames used by the armed forces, such as 'Tactical Iraqi.' But previous games were focused on teaching language and customs while Social Puppet is giving on-screen characters human non-verbal communication behaviors."
Re:From an x-soldier (Score:2)
Re:From an x-soldier (Score:1)
As an active AR "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe."
http://www.realca.co.uk/latest_violence.htm [realca.co.uk]
so fuck right off, your ignorance will keep you warm.
Interacting with Iraqis (Score:4, Insightful)
There's more to "interacting" than killing, raping, and torturing. I say it's about time soldiers learn that.
Well, our soldiers also passed out soccer balls in an effort to win hearts and minds. But seriously, this program is a useful tool for training to counter islamist insurgent battle tactics: the use of women and children as human shields, the fake surrender, the roadside bomb, and sniping from mosques.
Re:So... (Score:1)
Re:So... (Score:2, Insightful)
This comment isn't a personal attack on you (I don't know who you are or who you root for), but on a note it's ironic how it was a small group of terrorist bombing a few buildings that 'declared war' in the first place. I have a hard time believing a bunch of of people who defend their homeland while it's being invaded by foreign soldiers bombing the fck out of their women
defend their homeland? (Score:3, Insightful)
"To save the villiage, we had to burn the villiage" comes to mind.
The only ones defending their homeland are the ING and the IP. The "freedom fighters" we hear so much about aren't fighting to protect their homeland, they're fighting to protect a regressive culture and their own power
Re:defend their homeland? (Score:2)
Ah. Devotees of Che then.
Re:So... (Score:2)
The military is setup as a chain of abuse. When soldiers finally get a captive or local, they feel like they have the right to abuse them, like finally they are the boss of someone. It's like the abused kid who kicks the family dog. I've yet to hear an ex-military man retell a story about ki
Re:So... (Score:2)
There are many more stories like it if you'd actually be willing to listen.
Re:So... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:So... (Score:1)
I'm sure this will lead to me downmoded but frankly I don't give a rats ass. Often the moral position is also the unpopular one.
Re:So... (Score:2)
I personally hate this arguement, since in they are not attacking invading forces, they are attacking occupying forces. Not only that but they are also attacking the Iraqi miltary, not only the US forces. Now if I thought the US wanted to stay there, or if I they were only hitting American targets, or if they put up resistence in the initial invasion then I would give a lot more credit to your sentiment.
Re:So... (Score:1)
http://www.tomdispatch.com/ [tomdispatch.com] and scroll down to the middle to:
"Tomgram: A Permanent Basis for Withdrawal?
Can You Say "Permanent Bases"?
The American Press Can't
By Tom Engelhardt"
No Vomit on the Keyboard (Score:1)
Re:So... (Score:2)
We don't need any brainwashing.
You'll be trying to tell me next we live in a meritocracy where we can be what we want so long as we work hard enough!
Re:So... (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:So... (Score:1)
Commercial pilot. wtg. so the fuck what. You're just a pressurised bus driver.
Party on dudes! (Score:1, Funny)
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Score:5, Informative)
Why is the company that is at the forefront of intelligent vehicles collaborating with the U.S. army!?
Umm... the US Army [army.mil] is part of the Department of Defense [defenselink.mil], and DARPA [darpa.mil] stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Re:DARPA no! (Score:2)
Re:DARPA no! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:DARPA no! (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:DARPA no! (Score:1)
should have tipped you off. I wonder where that particular tech will come in handy?
Re:DARPA no! (Score:2)
Oh well, we can but dream.
Finally, a real use for... (Score:5, Funny)
"I noticed that you're having some problems with Farsi."
Re:Finally, a real use for... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Finally, a real use for... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Finally, a real use for... (Score:2, Funny)
crowd control on the keyboard (Score:4, Interesting)
i don't want to be too cynical, and i'm sure this is an interesting approach, but i still would prefer soldiers to get this kind of cultural briefing in a less synthetical environment. like spending a few days with people from the target culture, or even better, spending a few days in a country where such a culture persists.
verbal and non-verbal communication when controlling a (possibly violent) situation is hard enough with people understanding each others signals. when cultures clash that haven't met before (for the participants) this can be aggravated to utmost misunderstandings.
at least, this kind of thing is given some thought, instead of sending people around the world (who've never gotten out of their hometown before) without prior cultural briefings.
Re:crowd control on the keyboard (Score:3, Insightful)
Especilly since software is usually either pathetically easy to manipulate or totally impossible to deal with. It doesn't have enough intelligence to act like a real human being.
It is hard to see how this software can help anybody interact with any real person.
Re:crowd control on the keyboard (Score:4, Insightful)
[End Cynicism]
Re:crowd control on the keyboard (Score:5, Insightful)
Blah blah blah.. Simulations are always used when the subject matter is too dangerous, too expensive, or otherwise impractical for hands-on learning. You don't jump into a firefight to learn how to shoot. Describing and/or simulating those events is pretty much the same way we've been teaching for thousands of years. If you're thinking the process goes like this:
Drill Sergeant: "Ok recruit, sit down at that terminal and follow the instructions on screen."
[30 minutes later]
Johnny: "Ok, all done."
Drill Sergeant: "All done WHAT?"
Johnny: "All done, SIR!"
Drill Sergeant: "That's right! Now get on that plane and get your ass on the battlefield. You're a soldier now!"
You're sorely mistaken.
(He'd have to do way more pushups).
Re:crowd control on the keyboard (Score:3, Funny)
Someone's never played Counter-strike, obviously. Perfect combat sim - going with a bunch of people who can't shoot against a bunch of other people who can't shoot, half of whom are twelve. Honestly, if you took a flashbang in real combat, wouldn't you just let loose and hope to take them out before they can snipe you? The only difference is that you can't accuse your killer of hacking.
Re:crowd control on the keyboard (Score:1)
Sounds like a valuable tool for educating the young soldiers whom I guess haven't had much contact with other cultures other than at the checkout of a Kwik-E Mart.
Re:crowd control on the keyboard (Score:2)
Re:crowd control on the keyboard (Score:3, Funny)
"OK guys, things have gotten really bad in Cameroon. The Muslim minority has risen up and violently siezed control of the country. They are terrorizing the Christian natives and executing anyone who looks even remotly European or American. An ally is in trouble and the President wants this stopped."
"Sir, are we leaving immediately?"
"No, the operation starts in a few weeks. Since we'll be in deep into the country, we'll need
Re:Military intelligence (Score:1)
Re:Military intelligence (Score:1)
Re:Military intelligence (Score:2)
I would prefer that the US spend its military resources on defending the nation (as opposed to invading and occupying other nations).
Re:Military intelligence (Score:4, Insightful)
Indeed, that's why all World War 2 vets are actually terrorists. It doesn't matter if your enemy is the loathsome Nazis or headed by a self-proclaimed deity on earth (Imperial Japan) who invaded China and killed millions of Chinese. Imposing force is always terrorism. For that matter, when cops impose force on me after robbing a bank - they're terrorists. When will people learn that a big peace rally would've stopped the Nazis dead in their tracks?
Re:Military intelligence (Score:2)
Re:Military intelligence (Score:1)
The original quote, as written, makes no distiction at all between situations. It simply says, flat-out that: "any group using force to project its terms is a terrorist group". Certainly the Allies in World War 2 or any other conceivable war, no matter how just, fits that de
Re:Military intelligence (Score:1, Informative)
Sadly, many people [worldnetdaily.com] really do think this way.
Re:Military intelligence (Score:2)
Nice press release (Score:4, Funny)
As cool as it sounds, I doubt it has more use than a phrase book, other than it's a bit easier for people who can't be bothered to learn. At least they can take the book to a warzone (or do all soldiers have a laptop?). Nice tech. demo though.
Re:Nice press release (Score:2)
In the bad one, I think the Iraqi misunderstands, and gives you directions to go somewhere, and then calls you a son of a bitch for not saying thank you when you leave, and in the very bad one, he accuses you of being CIA.
It's pretty funny actually.
Only partially useful. (Score:2)
That means that the soldier does not learn to moderate HIS non-verbal cues based upon the non-verbal cues of the other person.
Only partialy relevant (Score:1)
Re:Only partialy relevant (Score:3, Funny)
For instance, a 2000-pound Mk 84 bomb is just the way Donald Rumsfeld says, "I feel awkward." Offer him a tasty dolmeh.
There is a Spanish version of this. (Score:1)
/. Expansion Pack? (Score:5, Funny)
Can they release an expansion pack for the
And no, Leisure Suit Larry doesn't count.
C'mon, we're VERY social (Score:2)
Not a joke (Score:1)
Re:Not a joke (Score:2, Funny)
Re:/. Expansion Pack? (Score:2)
Alternate uses (Score:3, Informative)
UT 2003 Anyone? (Score:1)
Social Puppet? (Score:3, Funny)
Two muppets walk into a bar. . .
Good idea... (Score:1, Funny)
"Hey, Jones... do you know what 'foq yeew ameh reekans' means in iraqi?"
So what you're saying is (Score:1, Funny)
Tax money, investment (Score:2)
Re:Tax money, investment (Score:2, Insightful)
Carry on.
I will not buy this record, it is scratched. (Score:2)
Just wait... (Score:1, Flamebait)
they don't have arabic as a 2nd language??? (Score:1)
lame, very lame (Score:2)
Max
Muppet Show (Score:1, Flamebait)
This actually has been done before (Score:2)
Not using the trainee's gestures? (Score:2)
It would be good to see which gestures, which we might make without knowing, would accidently cause another culture to be offended.
Incomprehensible scenarios... (Score:2)
The "Tactical Iraqi" demo videos [tacticallanguage.com] are delightfully incomprehensible.
ICANN (Score:1)