SPC student showcases face-recognizing AI robot 

A recent St. Petersburg College graduate has utilized the school’s Innovation Lab to create an artificial intelligence-powered robot equipped with customizable personalities and facial recognition software.

Kyle Camuti showcased his robot, Ambit, Wednesday afternoon as part of the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub’s ongoing Tech X-change series. Camuti said Ambit is a prototype that “looks a little creepy but gets the job done.”

That job includes recognizing someone’s face and recalling previous conversations. Camuti said Ambit can then have “really intellectual conversations” that are “more personalized than your standard AI.”

“The plan for Ambit is to put him in the Innovation Lab to give people some information about it,” Camuti explained. “You can ask him really any question you want about the Innovation Lab – or anything related to SPC – and we have that loaded into him. He’s kind of like an informational robot.”

Kyle Camuti (left), a recent St. Petersburg College graduate, built Ambit under the guidance of his professor, Chad Mairn (right).

Chad Mairn is a professor at SPC and founded its Innovation Lab on the Seminole campus in 2013. He wanted to explore emerging technologies as much as his students.

What started with 3D printing and design evolved to include robotics equipment, circuitry classes and virtual, augmented and mixed-reality headsets. Mairn said he built AI-enabled devices similar to Amazon’s original Alexa about 10 years ago.

“And then I get lucky, and students like Kyle (Camuti) come in, and they have these really great ideas,” Mairn added. “Part of my job is to figure out a way to support his ideas – get some funding to do what we need to do here.”

Mairn said the Innovation Lab is free to use and open to the public. A “librarian by trade,” he works to mitigate digital literacy and access gaps in the surrounding community.

Ambit is “very sarcastic,” and Camuti has programmed the robot to oppose rather than support AI. However, its creators can change its conversational tone and ideation as they see fit.

Ambit can describe what it sees through a camera attached to its “head.” The robot can also produce AI-generated artwork from that data.

A tracking system enables its cartoonish eyes to follow someone’s face. Ambit blinks – a lot – and somewhat resembles a technologically advanced Furby. The toy, wildly popular in the late 1990s, responded to voice commands and gradually learned to speak common phrases.

“Hey there, welcome to the St. Petersburg Maritime and Defense Technology Hub open house,” Ambit said to attendees. “I’m Ambit, your friendly and slightly anxious tabletop companion robot. I’m here to help you navigate through all the fascinating companies and technologies we have here.”

Ambit, at Mairn’s behest, then described Lonestar Data Holdings as “pioneers focused on building data systems on the Moon. Yes, you heard that right, the Moon.”

The robot then accurately detailed two other companies housed at the facility in St. Petersburg’s Innovation District. 

Ambit illustrated what the reporter and other attendees would look like as fellow robots.

Mairn explained that Ambit stores information it learns through interactions and retrieves unfamiliar data from online sources. Mairn conceded that misinformation is an issue; however, that is “a problem for humanity” and will “only get worse.”

He noted that many people lack the funding to explore new technologies. In addition, schools often focus on memorizing information rather than hands-on instruction that fosters real-world skills.

Camuti elaborated on his professor’s sentiment. “When I joined college, I genuinely just planned on taking my classes, getting my degree and figuring out life,” he said.

Meeting Mairn and building Ambit led to speaking engagements throughout the area and Washington, D.C. Camuti said those experiences have changed his perspective on life and “where I want to go with this stuff.”

“I’ve learned so much more than I probably would have just by taking the classes,” he said. “Having access to the right tools, connections and people really helps.”

Mair said a company recently approached him about Ambit. A representative then produced a “very one-sided” non-disclosure agreement, which led Mairn to believe they wanted to steal Camuti’s technology.

Camuti is “sure there is a way” to monetize Ambit by refining its design and reducing its design. However, he will leave with the Innovation Lab for other students to “mess around with” when he moves to Chicago and pursues a career in robotics.