Dr. Robot Watches Over Home And More 192
jverbov writes "A Canadian firm has created what they call an 'intellgent personal robotic companion.' It can be wirelessly connected to your home Internet connection, has a built-in camera and speech recognition software. There's a recent article about it at the Toronto Star." This thing promises a lot, and while the price is steep, it's a lot cheaper than some other household robots due out.
Finally! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Finally! (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Finally! (Score:2, Funny)
Won't fly high. (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Won't fly high. (Score:5, Funny)
Are you kidding? It'd make a great target!
Re:Won't fly high. (Score:2)
All North Americans including Canadians are Yanks in the eyes of our brothers south of the border. Well, Yanquis.
And a good bit of my European pals consider Canadians yanks(spend some time in youth hostels around the world and the first thing a Canadian will do is enter the room and announce they are Canadian and not American, i have seen this happen in three different hostels in three different countries, you guys got membership cards) North American is Canada too.
And let me say as a proud loud mouthed american(not really too loud mouthed, but american all the same, with a dash of spanish and french thrown in for good measure, new orleans born and raised) that most of us are proud and loudmouthed, as any loyal citizen of any country is. And Canadians are a bit pompous of the fact that they are Canadian(not American).
Though the dictionary defines Yankees as:
1. A native or inhabitant of New England.
2. A native or inhabitant of a northern U.S. state, especially a Union soldier during the Civil War.
3. A native or inhabitant of the United States.
Oh yeah, and it is some guys name too. German I think. One of those superior races.
As for the gun, I can hack one up for it. Not a problem. Free country and all that, well free enough so I can have a gun.
Puto
Re:Won't fly high. (Score:2)
Yankees: Stop and wonder for a moment why people take issue with you, based on your nationality. If your a nice person, and deserve to be treated with respect, stop and think for a moment why it is that your lumped in with "them" for which the default treatment for Americans is Bad.
Why is this? Its not jealousy - NO MATTER WHAT OPHRA WINFRY SAYS, not all critisism springs from the wells of jealousy.... the world is not Jealous of America. Simple. So, what is it? Think about it... please propose some of the reasons below. Just imagine for a moment, what would make people think badly about America?
*To other Native English Speakers: I can mostly identify the difference between an Aussie, Kiwi, SA, Irish, Scott etc etc accents, but not immediately. I bet most Brits can pick them out very quickly. Its similar w/ English speaking NAmericans. I can immediately identify someone who lives in Manitoba from someone who lives in NewMexico. A Newfie from an Ontarian.
Please, give us more credit than an our immdediate NorthAmerican accent.
Re:Won't fly high. (Score:2)
Hmmm, I have been all over the world and no one has 'uniquely' hated me anywhere. I am a pretty likable fella and get along with just about anyone I come across. And while there are places that hate "Yankees" most countries dig North Americans. Wait, most places take people for who they are, not where they are from. There is no 'default' treatment if you are a US citizen.
I am jealous of Canadians? Why? I am just pointing out a something I have come across more than once. I have taught in three universities and one high school in other countries. And while my American brethern have on many occasions been an embarassment I never make excuses for them.
However, all of the Canadians are always quick to point out that they are Canadian. Without prompting. I think this is funny. Maybe it is only the expatriate Canadians I have known. Never got them any better treatment.
"Hi I am Norman, nice to meet you"
or
"Hi, I am Norman, I am from Canada"
It is great to be proud of your heritage, who you are and where you are from. No problem with that.
And as for accents, many North Americans can identify the 'subtle' different between accents from other countries. Though Aussie, Scot, New Zealand, and Irish aren't subtle as you say, they are very different. You cannot tell someone who is a Scott right away?
And North Americans can pick up on the Canadian one quite easily. But not by territory. I mean I generally can do the regional thing in the US. But if you get someone from New Orleans you would most likely think they are from Jersey, we tend to have the same accent. Common fallacy to think people in New Orleans have really southern accents, we do not. And those are not our chicks tits doing mardi gras. Those are the northern tourists. We leave during da parades.
As for myself, I am good with accents. Time spent abroad, and also a set of grandparents from Spain. I can almost 90% of the time tell you what country a spanish speaker is from. And there are more spanish speaking countries than english ones.
So I am sorry if I offended you in pointing out something I have found in my travels.
But I do not think we are uniquely hated around the world as Americans.
And I do not think Canadians get much better treatment than US citizens. Maybe in some places, but usually it is the same.
Or maybe people treat me differently cause I am slightly brown, speak three languages, and do not give a shit.
Puto
Re:Won't fly high. (Score:2)
I've never heard of such a thing. You Americans are weird.
Modular Robots (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Modular Robots (Score:1)
around the house? Forgot attack of the clones,
how about attack of the headless robots!!
Re:Modular Robots (Score:3, Interesting)
Very reconfigurable
Re:Modular Robots (Score:2)
Re:Modular Robots (Score:4, Funny)
Now to add water cooling and overclock that sucka...
And other peoples wireless internet ? (Score:5, Funny)
"I didn't do it officer, you just can't trust robots these days"
Re:And other peoples wireless internet ? (Score:3, Funny)
warchalks the nearest telephone pole.
I can just imagine... (Score:4, Funny)
[AOL voice] You've got Intruders! [/AOL voice]
Re:I can just imagine... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: I can just imagine... (Score:2, Funny)
> Pretty hard to check your email when your computer is the back of some guy's van.
Re: I can just imagine... (Score:2, Interesting)
> Hello master. This is an automated message to let you know that I am being stolen.
And you thought the Kidnapped Robot Problem [google.com] was just an academic exercise!
Finally they're in the realm of affordable (Score:2, Interesting)
Script kiddies rejoice... (Score:5, Insightful)
So anyone with a bit of knowhow (or the right script) could potentially hijack this device to watch ladies change, or to observe someone punching in an alarm code, or whatever else their devious little minds might come up with? I really like the idea of Canadian robots, and having connected devices is pretty neat as well - but the internet is inherently insecure, and I just don't know if I'd feel comfortable with a little camera running around watching me all day when the possibility exists that someone could access it.
Re:Script kiddies rejoice... (Score:3, Funny)
Extreme robotic hockey?
Of course, until they make robotic horses, they can't make law enforcement robots.
The government also can't sponsor development in most normal computer languages, because so far there hasn't been a language with commands in French and English.
Re:Script kiddies rejoice... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Script kiddies rejoice... (Score:2)
But before we can start *doing* anything about them, we need to figure out how the robot is going to know who's a person. (I suppose it could just assume the dog wouldn't be giving it orders, but...)
Re:Script kiddies rejoice... (Score:3, Interesting)
The robot cannot harm a human being, this includeds psycological damage and one would assume the personal damages o fhaving yourslef broadcast over the net would be included.
If that law doesn't work, the second one will definately kick in, self preservation except where it conflicts the first. If that robot got caugt, he'd be one smashed bot.
Re:Script kiddies rejoice... (Score:2)
Re:Script kiddies rejoice... (Score:3, Funny)
Reece,
Visibility (Score:2, Insightful)
You want your alarm system to be visible; make the badguys think twice about breaking in.
If the alarm system consists of a toy; then the burglers are going to break in, trash the joint, then get shot when the cops turn up.
Blood is really hard to get out of shagpile!
Re:Visibility (Score:3, Funny)
But can it get a beer from the fridge? (Score:2, Insightful)
Probably most people like me are looking for something that is smart enough to take over mundane household tasks like the laundry, vacumming, mowing the lawn. etc...
You know, preferably one that happens to be cheaper than having a kid.
Re:But can it get a beer from the fridge? (Score:3, Informative)
This is actually extremely cheap for a robot having this kind of functionality. The only equivalent product on the market (or soon on the market) is Sony's SDR-4X, which costs about 20x the price of this one. The SDR-4X can, however, sing in harmony, shake its hips and wave its arms in tempo [usatoday.com]. That's got to count for something.
Or maybe Sony's CEO just had a joint too much.
But can it get a beer from the fridge?! (Score:1)
Get me a beer out of the fridge.
Then I'd buy it for sure. It's such a damn pain to get up out of my chair every 5 minutes for one.
No, I'm not going to buy one of those little ones and hook them up either, when I just bought a huge GE double doored fridge
Thanks for the info, though
Re:But can it get a beer from the fridge? (Score:2, Insightful)
The pinacle of home robotics (Score:4, Funny)
Re:The pinacle of home robotics (Score:1)
human looks? (Score:4, Funny)
-I beg to differ.
"-You see here the problem is somwhere between the keybaord and the chair"
Steep Price???!!!?? (Score:2, Insightful)
When the first batch of the robots is released next year they'll likely cost between $1,500 and $3,100, Xie said.
For a robot that can walk and maintain his balance, as well as all of the other things mentioned in the article (all wireless too!) I don't think it's a steep price at all!! Any computer geek knows that a good computer costs them 3,500 (CDN) just to play games at a good speed! I think having a robot around at that price is paltry in comparison to what you can do with it!!!
What happens when the net goes down? (Score:2, Interesting)
On a more serious note, I'd really like to see how well it handles stairs and how well it can keep from running into things. I'd also be interested in how pet-proof it is.
Re:What happens when the net goes down? (Score:3, Funny)
robot: looks around cautiously... then darts for the woods, free at last!
Re:What happens when the net goes down? (Score:2, Funny)
That's easy: as soon as the signal fades completely, the robot will walk backwards along its path until it is back in range.
If the access point fails for some reason, the robot will simply walk with its right leg but not the left, resulting in a Curly (Three Stooges) sort of spin. Sound effects are optional.
Re:What happens when the net goes down? (Score:1)
The robot stops and says "Somebody set us up the bomb..."
And then starts yelling "All your bases are belong to us!"
Re:What happens when the net goes down? (Score:1)
Reece,
"enhancing your life" (Score:3, Insightful)
How can a robot enhance your life? They make it sound like you're adopting someone or hiring your own personal assistant.
Let me know when robots can actually do important yet monotonous tasks for me, and then I'll buy one. Until then, I'll just consider robots cool gadgetry, but not purposeful, functional things.
Or get a dog.
Re:"enhancing your life" (Score:2)
To quote Michael Kurland (or Chester Anderson)
Boy finds girl.
Boy looses girl.
Boy builds girl.
Re:"enhancing your life" (Score:2)
matter of time (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:matter of time (Score:3, Funny)
That technology has been around for ages. I just call it my little brother. Little bastard.
Actual usefulness? (Score:4, Interesting)
What this does represent is the very earliest twinkle in the imagination of robotic developers who are waiting for the technology to catch up to our science fiction dreams - the day when personal robots will truely be useful as 'pals' that will help you in your daily life and provide an anthropomorphic touch, kind of like Data and his 'positronic brain'.
At some point, the argument will begin as to whether they are 'alive' or not, and robot rights groups will spring up everywhere! Whee!
--Mike
Re:Actual usefulness? (Score:1)
Re:Actual usefulness? (Score:1)
and it's interesting how people can react to the same AI when it takes a human form vs. when it takes some other physical form. Perhaps it's safe to say that on average we treat things with human characteristics with more respect? I.E. everyone wants to save the cute fuzzy creatures but nobody cares about bugs and reptiles, on a layman's level that is. I think the emotion that dominates there is compassion. Compassion combined with knowledge and intelligence (in a scientist, for example) can enable you to have as much sympathy for an alien looking insect or sea creature.
Re:Actual usefulness? (Score:1)
You mean all our base will belong to them??? lol
Reece,
I dunno... (Score:5, Funny)
1) Jam the Robot's wireless frequency
2) Hack the firmware and play a loop-back video of them doing homework.
3) Rewrite AI in Aibo and the robot to deathmatch mode and take bets.
etc
but realistically, kids will probabbly
1) knock robot down with chair, accidentally or otherwise
2) sit on it, accidentally or otherwise
3) spray ketchup onto it, accidentally or otherwise
4) go swimming with it, accidentally or otherwise
you get the idea
either way - to make a robot "kids proof" is a tall order - i am not sure if this flimsy looking thing fills it.
I must admit... (Score:3, Interesting)
I am not sure if the bipedal robot is the best design, simply because it seems rather unstable. And with cameras, advanced processors and so on, I would think that you do not want this thing to be just that - unstable. It seems to me that you would want it to be as stable and as sturdy as possible. Otherwise, all the great examples of home-use don't really seem like viable options for many families.
You would never let your expensive new laptop with built-in thermal detectors, and all sorts of other great gadgets walk up and down stairs unprotected... would you? I think we can all just picture the shiny little computer comming apart in slow-motion...
So before I would ever consider investing in something like this (which I at some time surely would), I would be VERY certain that it can stand up to the strongest natural force known to man: Children and stairs!
Practical use? (Score:2, Insightful)
Seriously, though... this seems like agent technology done right. I'd much prefer Dr. Robot to Clippit, thank you very much. However, I forsee that this will be considered nothing but a very expensive toy. Perhaps he can contend with rand(verb); Me Elmo 5 years from now for Christmas domination.
Dr. Robot (Score:4, Funny)
*ring ring
Owner: "Hello?"
Robot: "A warm humanoid mass is robbing your house. Video has been sent to your email, enjoy. Thank you for choosing Dr. Robot."
Angry Home Robots? (Score:4, Funny)
IV. Personalities and Emotions
In addition, Dr Robot Inc. has planned to develop unique personalities and emotions of the robot based on the relationship with its owner. Personalities such as playful and shy, as well as emotions (such as happiness, sadness, fear, dislike, surprise, and anger) can be expressed by the robot via sophisticated voice synthesis and body language to hold intelligent conversation with its owner and other people.
Great - the mechanized psycho home companion ...
Re:Angry Home Robots? (Score:2)
I see now (Score:2, Interesting)
I am not sure I like this,
In patrol mode, the bipedal robot acts as a home security system, scoping out your house for intruders.
These were called dogs. Sometimes they are known as the family dog to most people.
The robot uses the owner's home computer and Internet connection to answer questions or help a human shop online.
Used to be a local teenager called a geek, sometimes the child would be yours.
The robot can also upload everything it hears and sees to the Internet.
These were called little brothers, except the did not tell the whole world through the internet. Maybe they do now, I donna know.
It can also act as a personal digital assistant, reminding the owner of appointments.
These are called wives, and they can be more fun than just reminding your of appointments, *nudge* *nudge* *wink* *wink*!
So basically you can replace most any person in your household with a $1,500 robot. I guess we really don't need other living beings at home.
Make It Look Female and ... (Score:1, Funny)
I can see it now... (Score:1)
Dr. Robot? (Score:5, Funny)
- A.P.
Bipedal Robot + Handshake over the Internet (Score:2, Funny)
Now if the handshake dosen't work out, telnet into the guys robot and beat him up.
They were going to market it as... (Score:3, Funny)
Who would ever want a robot in their home? (Score:2, Insightful)
Feature request (Score:1)
Ah, yes. But can it post submissions to
Obligitory Canadian 'humor' (Score:1)
I is able to understand numerous phrases including:
'Hey hoser, get me a beer'
'That a Molsen, eh'
'Hey hoser, get me another beer'
Re:Obligitory Canadian 'humor' (Score:2)
wait, bilingual?? whoa dude! add some languages on top of it's voice recognition,, and it'd be like a mini interpreter!! that'd be sweet!
Yeah, we could finally understand what the fuck Chretien is trying to say.
Intelligence? (Score:5, Interesting)
And here I was [slashdot.org] just six stories ago pointing out my not-so-humble opinion about how misguided trying to emulate biological systems was. This proves my point doesn't it?
A manufacturer went to a lot of trouble (and presumably expense) to make their device less reliable (hexapod locomotion is demonstrably optimal) and try to give a pointless appearance of intelligence.
If the robot had been built like a cockroach, arguably one of the most effective designs, I wouldn't have been any less likely to think it intelligent (it's not), but far more likely to think the designer was.
-- MG
Re:Intelligence? (Score:2)
Not like I know anything about hexapod locomotion, but can you point me somewhere where this optimality is demonstrated?
Re:Intelligence? (Score:2, Interesting)
Basically, the whole concept relies on the fact that with the proper gait [sequence of movements to take a step] the center of gravity always remains within a triangle formed by three legs, and thus makes the whole contraption considerably harder to tip over, and makes tasks such as navigating holes or steps orders of magnitude simpler. (The center of gravity moving around is exactly what makes climbing steps a hard problem for a bipedal robot).
With more legs you gain additional resistance to environmental damage and a bit more flexibility with difficult obstacles, but you also increase complexity of construction and controlling by lots, and unless the environment is very hostile you normally wouldn't want to bother.
I'm sure a Google search will point you to a number of papers on the subject. MIT was especially interrested in that field in the early '90s.
-- MG
Re:Intelligence? (Score:2)
Robots may not be able to do these things right now, but it's important that they develop in that direction, rather than on a path toward better hexapods.
Yeah, its cool and all.... (Score:1)
kickoff (Score:2, Funny)
If this thing tries to sneak up on me, it will be uploading footage to the internet of itself flying accross the room after one swift kick.
Guard dog (Score:3, Insightful)
Will there be a sign like: caution, guard robot.
The problem is, that until somebody steps within our little metal friend's perimeter, they can happily plunder your house. Even if the robot grabs them quickly, they're still able to get away for some smash and grab.
Meanwhilst, fido (with the sign indicating the house is guarded, to hopefully dissuade idiotic US lawsuits) with his dagger-sharp teeth and strong appetite for crooks is still going to be a much better deterrent.
Of course, if we could get some robots with laser beams or something equally cool. Maybe you could program it to make the groin area an optimal aim-point... good deterrant indeed!
damn robots, annoying (Score:2)
Killer Robuts from Space (Score:3, Funny)
These people aren't trying to make anything useful, they're trying to make an expensive toy similar to the the robot dogs. A robot that was self-sufficient and could learn things (like how to operate my refrigerator door) would be worth the price. And no, I don't want my robot to look like some kind of astronaut. Have you seen Honda's asimo [i4u.com] bot? If I was sitting by myself at night and turned around to see that thing I'd probably piss myself, it looks like an evil midget in a space suit, or HAL 9000 with legs... creepy.
Just give me a robot with enough memory and the right software to learn things, I'll do the teaching myself. "Robut, fill the humidifier." "Robut, take out the trash." "Robut, clean the toilet."
And another thing, who wants their robot to have 'emotions'? There's only one emotion I need from it; humble servitude. I don't need another expensive and emotional toy, I already have a girlfriend. (Ba dum, ching!)
Genuine People Personalities?!?Agh! (Score:3, Funny)
Great, I'm going to shell out all that cash, get it home, and be greeted with "I'm soooooooooooooooooo depressed. Here I am, a brain the size of a planet, and he wants me to go fetch beer..."
Has Douglas taught us NOTHING?? Forget Asimov, Adams people, Adams!
Expensive? (Score:2, Funny)
As the article is from the Toronto Star the figures are in Canadian dollars, so the price in in the U.S. will really be about $3.50.
Some notes (Score:2)
Just make sure... (Score:2)
It might like to shove grandma down the stairs and light things of fire.
Even if it will help with the terrible secret of space, it's just not worth the risk.
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Nother new jimcrack (Score:2)
You young whippersnappers! Impressed with any new geegaw. We had Butler in a box [mastervoice.com] in my day, and it was good enough for me!
Seriously, this isn't new, guys and gals. I rememer Butler in a Box from waaaaaaay back.
The Perfect Combo (Score:2)
Does this mean they plan to combine Dr. Robot and realdoll [realdoll.com]? Now that would be a hit.
What does a robot need an internet connection for? (Score:2)
Why does the robot need an internet connection? Is it going to go out and surf for Robot Pr0n? [electricbiscuit.com]
SalesRobot @ Home (Score:2)
I dunno, but the prospect of some mechanized, commissioned sales person -- that I have to privilage to pay for -- is NOT attractive.
Imagine you instruct the thing to get you a beer from the fridge and it starts on "Try the Molson Canadian XTREME. XTREME To the Max! Molson EXTREME - YOUR NEW FAVORITE BEER!" shaking its hips and then waiting for you to say "Just get me a damn Canadian!"
I dont think I need a robot to help me shop.
What will happen (Score:2)
As the robots cost $3K, I imagine their cell phone alert would go something like
Warning, intruder! Warning, intruder!......... Help! Help! I've been stolen!
Now a robot can stalk your children for you! (Score:2)
The robot can also upload everything it hears and sees to the Internet. Say you're staying late at work and want to make sure your kids are doing their homework, Xie said. You can direct the robot around your house, find your kids and check up on them by viewing the robot's video online.
I'm sure my childhood would have been loads better if a robot stalked me through the hallways.
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:2)
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:1)
You've been watching too many movies.
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:1)
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:1)
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:4, Interesting)
I graduated from the United States Naval Academy with a Degree in Engineering and have been invited back to teach Computer Science by that department's chair. I am currently living in Japan where I study Distributed Operating System design and Artificial Intelligence research in my spare time. While I may speak enough Japanese to pick up a girl at a bar, I do not understand enough to watch movies; hence why I don't have cable.
The FACTs of the discussion are these:
#1 Research on the human brain and how it learns is still considered to be in its infancy. Current experiements in the subject are almost barbaric in their simplicity; such as performing CT scans on a subjects brain while they are exposed to extremem emotional states, just to see which location in the brain becomes more active.
#2 Expert systems [google.com] already exist today that are capable of creating, or rewriting the rules they operate off of. Exactly how much memory do they need to have and how much information do they need before they begin writing rules that don't pertain to their original design? What point does the information processing load become more than the current hardware can handle?
#3 Neural networks [ic.ac.uk] of some pretty fair complexity have been played with, but we still haven't quite reached the stage where the computer will mimic human learning and no one can say how close we are. Again, how do we know we don't already have the right algorithm, and just not the right input information.
One might infer from my sig that I read too many books, but Dostoevsky had the fall of the Russian government, the rise of communism and the abolishment of the church in Russia nailed decades before it actually happened. Bullishly pushing forward with a misunderstood technology or concept has screwed us over many times. I don't think it's out of line to accept that the artistic half of our species occassionally has very clear insight into our future.
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:2, Insightful)
You may think I am a blind nay-sayer, but I'm actually one of those whack-o's that believes in a AI-driven technological singularity, which will likely destroy us, in one way or another. Destroy might not be negative in this context, since it may mean we live on, just not in animal form, but possibly still as distinct intelligences.
But... Do you really think that some consumer hardware robot gimmick is really any reason to bring this up? Were you equally alarmed by Furby?
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:2)
Anyhow, neural network algorithms for combining training and matching operations are computationally expensive -- and they still need to train according to externally provided I/O patterns. GA-based systems only evolve behaviour encouraged by their evaluation function, and expert systems are even more limited. (Yes, I'm from the subsymbolic side of the AI camp. If you think that symbolic systems are likely to be more effective, go tell ALICE that for me).
Consider: how many internal nodes can one have in a network running on such a small (battery-operated) piece of equipment? Making a neural network that mimics human learning is more than the right algorithm -- it also takes the right connections (as distinct from merely the correct input) and the right network structure. Said network structure is certain to be of very large dimensions (there are biological cues for this as well as NN research), and otherwise nothing that this toy is prone to achieving.
You may claim all the academic knowledge of AI in the world, but -- simply put -- your concerns seem other than well-thought-out.
Re:Learning algorithms and Cyberdyne Systems (Score:4, Funny)
Its certainly more ethical than connecting it to dot-NET!
+1, Sexist Pig (Score:1)
Hit submit by mistake! New try... (Score:2)
Talk about hitting the nail on the head! Why do you think this is on Slashdot?
Re:What would be nice (Score:2, Funny)
If it's that hard to tell, time for new clothes.
Re:Oh my God (Score:2, Funny)