Deltu enjoys playing a game of matching symbols with a human opponent, but if you make a mistake, the robot might cut the fun short and do something else on its own.
It is the artificial intelligence project of École cantonale d'art de Lausanne (ECAL) graduate Alexia Léchot. She is an interactive designer who created Deltu as part of her bachelor’s project on exploring the relationship between robots and humans.
Léchot based her creation on the general design of delta robots, which is a kind of machine that has long been the "mechanical arm" of choice in manufacturing industries. Factories around the world often feature some form of delta robotics for their ability to pick up and pack objects automatically - but this one is a bit more unique and has a mind of its own.
Deltu works with two tablet computers and is able to navigate through its applications. It can surf the internet, browse through photos, choose music to listen to on SoundCloud and even take selfies and upload them to Instagram.
The tripod bot is fond of playing a game of mimicry with an opponent using the opposite tablet, but Deltu can become frustrated on a whim (showing it by flailing its central arm about) and decide to use a different app abruptly.
View the video below to see Deltu in action.
