Soatok DreamseekerMay 26

Somehow a lot of you ended up finding me, and deciding to press the Follow button.

If we haven't talked much (or at all), consider this an opportunity to introduce yourself. (If you want to. No pressure!)

Tell me about one of your interests, in as much detail as you want.

Show threadCustard SmingleighMay 26
@soatok
Hello. I'm Smingleigh. Software developer and tinkerer. I built a neural network controlled Roomba that outsmarted me.
Show threadSoatok DreamseekerMay 26
@Smingleigh I have friends that were outsmarted by a Roomba, but without a neural network. This sounds like a potentially funny story.
Show threadCustard Smingleigh

@soatok
I hooked up proximity sensors, bumper collision sensors, and drive motors to a Raspberry Pi running a neural network to see if it could learn to drive around obstacles.

The Roomba's neural network rewards moving fast, and discourages hitting the front bumper collision sensors.

The neural network quickly works out that the best way to maximise its reward is to drive backwards as fast as it can, because there are no bumpers on the back to detect when it hits something.

May 26 at 1:08amFedilab
Show threadYour AI Skeptic FriendMay 26
@Smingleigh @soatok this feels like a metaphor for... many things, tbh
Show threadAndy Herd 🏳️‍🌈🌳May 26
@Smingleigh all unittests pass, ship it! 😅
Show threadSammiMay 26
@Smingleigh @soatok 😂
Show threadbeemohMay 26
@Smingleigh @soatok Reminds me of the Neural Net someone invented to play Tetris- its rewards came from keeping the Game Over screen from appearing for longer periods of time. So it just paused the game.
Show threaddiffractcoloursMay 26
@Smingleigh @soatok Clearly the neural network had been trained on Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing
Show threadcrypticceleryMay 27
@Smingleigh @soatok an amazing case of reward functions :D
Did you continue working on it?
Show threadCustard SmingleighMay 27
@crypticcelery
Now and then. It is slowly getting a simulated worm brain as I get time to work on it, so I can see if a few million years of evolution can clean my floor better!
@soatok