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The Miami
Vol. 88, Issue 45 | Nov. 4 - Nov. 7, 2010
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HURRICANE
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STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI IN CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, SINCE 1929
The birth of a
baby robot UM and UC San Diego search for insight into infant brains BY ALEXANDRA LEON | NEWS EDITOR
N
o, it’s not science fiction. Baby robots capable of learning will soon be born. Researchers at the University of Miami, in collaboration with a team from the University of California San Diego, are building a baby robot that can learn in order to enhance their studies on the learning process for human babies. It all began when Dr. Daniel Messinger, an associate professor of psychology and pediatrics, was approached by scientists at UC San Diego to develop this project. Messinger, who has studied the importance of facial expressions in children with autism, was excited to take on the project. “What I’ve always been interested in is the process of social interaction, so if I look at you, you nod, if you look at me, I smile,” Messinger said. “And that also happens with babies and their parents. In turn, that kind of responsivity contributes to development.” SEE BABY BOT, PAGE 4
LITTLE HAVANA IS HOPPING GET GOOD FOOD AND A DOSE OF HISPANIC CULTURE ON CALLE OCHO PAGE 11
MORRIS MAKES A MOVE WITH JACORY DOWN, A TRUE FRESHMAN STEPS UP AS QUARTERBACK PAGE 15 LINDSAY BROWN // Photo Editor
LITE BRITE: Researchers are recording the patterns created by the lights as the baby moves.