Abstract: A board game system comprises a touch screen, a computing device and a robot arm. The computing device comprises a processor and a memory. At least one type of board game program is stored in the memory so that the processor can execute the board game program present a corresponding board game interface on the touch screen. The robot arm controlled by the computing device can touch the touch screen and play the board game with a user.

Abstract: First, an object model library and an operation module library are provided. The object model library contains at least an object model geometrically similar to a real object to be processed. The operation module library contains at least an operation module for each operation to be performed. Then, for each real object to be processed, a virtual object is defined by association with an object model in the object model library and by specification of the object model's geometric parameters. Subsequently, for each operation to be performed, the operation is defined by selecting an operation module from the operation module library and specifying its operation parameters. Optionally, for each virtual object defined, at least a two-dimensional image previously taken of the corresponding real object is associated with the virtual object.

Abstract: A robotic system and a related method for reproducing a real person's facial expression and speech simultaneously and synchronously is provided herein. The robotic system comprises at least a robotic head which in turn comprises a speaker, a plurality of face actuators, and a computing engine. The robotic head drives the speaker and the face actuators synchronously based on a speech segment and a sequence of time-stamped control vectors so that the robotic system could mimic a real person's facial expression and speech. The speech segment and the sequence of time-stamped control vectors are retrieved from a storage device of the robotic system, or from an external source via an appropriate communication mechanism.

Abstract: A robotic system and a related method for reproducing a real person's facial expression and speech simultaneously and synchronously is provided herein. The robotic system comprises at least a robotic head which in turn comprises a speaker, a plurality of face actuators, and a computing engine. The robotic head drives the speaker and the face actuators synchronously based on a speech segment and a sequence of time-stamped control vectors so that the robotic system could mimic a real person's facial expression and speech. The speech segment and the sequence of time-stamped control vectors are retrieved from a storage device of the robotic system, or from an external source via an appropriate communication mechanism.

Abstract: A password input and verification method is provided to prevent the disclosing of the password from peeping. The method is easy to learn, transparent to the users, and requires no hardware change and only minor software modification. The method allows a user to enter a much longer string of characters when he or she is asked for the password. The user is then authenticated if the actual password is embedded as a whole anywhere within the input string. The method also provides a mechanism called prohibition key. A prohibition key is a predetermined character that, when present in the user input string, the user is not authenticated regardless of whether the actual password is contained in the input string or not.

Abstract: A method for controlling a robotic system. Expressional and audio information is received by an input unit and transmitted to the processor therefrom. The processor converts the expressional and audio information to corresponding expressional signals and audio signals. The expressional signals and audio signals are received by an expressional and audio synchronized output unit and synchronously transmitted therefrom. An expression generation control unit receives the expressional signals and generates corresponding expressional output signals. Multiple actuators enable an imitative face to create facial expressions according to the expressional output signals. A speech generation control unit receives the audio signals and generates corresponding audio output signals. A speaker transmits speech according to the audio output signals. Speech output from the speaker and facial expression creation on the imitative face by the actuators are synchronously executed.

Abstract: A board game system comprises a touch screen, a computing device and a robot arm. The computing device comprises a processor and a memory. At least one type of board game program is stored in the memory so that the processor can execute the board game program present a corresponding board game interface on the touch screen. The robot arm controlled by the computing device can touch the touch screen and play the board game with a user.

Abstract: An autonomous robot mainly contains an image capturing device, an interpretation device, a synthesis device, and an audio output device. The image capturing device captures pages of graphical images in which appropriate musical information is embedded, and the interpretation device deciphers and recognizes the musical information contained in the captured graphical image. The synthesis device simulates the sound effects of a type of instrument or a human singer by synthesis techniques in accordance with the recognized musical information. The audio output device turns the output of the synthesis device into human audible sounds. The graphical image of appropriate musical information is prepared in a visually recognizable form. The graphical image can also contain special symbols to give instructions to the autonomous robot such as specifying an instrument.

Abstract: A novel device and a related method are provided for use with a trigger-and-respond autonomous robot. The device functions both as an electronic repository of graphical images, each containing an encoded instruction, and a presentation mechanism of the encoded instructions to the autonomous robot. The device contains the following major components: an output means both as a display to the user and a display of graphical images to the autonomous robot; an input means via which the user can perform various point-and-select tasks; a non-volatile information repository for storing graphical images; and an organization means which organizes and presents the graphical images in a tree-like or hierarchical manner for efficient search and retrieval.

Abstract: A robotic system and a related method for reproducing a real person's facial expression and speech simultaneously and synchronously is provided herein. The robotic system comprises at least a robotic head which in turn comprises a speaker, a plurality of face actuators, and a computing engine. The robotic head drives the speaker and the face actuators synchronously based on a speech segment and a sequence of time-stamped control vectors so that the robotic system could mimic a real person's facial expression and speech. The speech segment and the sequence of time-stamped control vectors are retrieved from a storage device of the robotic system, or from an external source via an appropriate communication mechanism.

Abstract: A novel interactive educational toy, namely a spelling robot, is provided. The spelling robot mainly contains a command detection unit, an interpretation unit, and an action unit. The command detection unit is the input interface for the spelling robot that accepts the “word” to be spelled. The interpretation unit is the brain of the spelling robot which interprets the “word” command issued to it by the command detection unit. The result of interpretation is directed to the output interface of the spelling robot, the action unit, which actually delivers the spelling. The action unit may also contain a voice unit which actually pronounces the “word.

Abstract: A password input and verification method is provided to prevent the disclosing of the password from peeping. The method is easy to learn, transparent to the users, and requires no hardware change and only minor software modification. The method allows a user to enter a much longer string of characters when he or she is asked for the password. The user is then authenticated if the actual password is embedded as a whole anywhere within the input string. The method also provides a mechanism called prohibition key. A prohibition key is a predetermined character that, when present in the user input string, the user is not authenticated regardless of whether the actual password is contained in the input string or not.