Robot maker builds artificial boy

[babylonsister]

:scared: :scared:

Robot maker builds artificial boy

By MATT SLAGLE
AP Technology Writer


RICHARDSON, Texas (AP) -- David Hanson has two little Zenos to care for these days. There's his 18-month-old son Zeno, who prattles and smiles as he bounds through his father's cramped office. Then there's the robotic Zeno. It can't speak or walk yet, but has blinking eyes that can track people and a face that captivates with a range of expressions.



At 17 inches tall and 6 pounds, the artificial Zeno is the culmination of five years of work by Hanson and a small group of engineers, designers and programmers at his company, Hanson Robotics. They believe there's an emerging business in the design and sale of lifelike robotic companions, or social robots. And they'll be showing off the robot boy to students in grades 3-12 at the Wired NextFest technology conference Thursday in Los Angeles.

Unlike clearly artificial robotic toys, Hanson says he envisions Zeno as an interactive learning companion, a synthetic pal who can engage in conversation and convey human emotion through a face made of a skin-like, patented material Hanson calls frubber.

"It's a representation of robotics as a character animation medium, one that is intelligent," Hanson beams. "It sees you and recognizes your face. It learns your name and can build a relationship with you."

It's no coincidence if the whole concept sounds like a science-fiction movie.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/ROBOT_BOY?SITE=DCSAS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Lance_Boyle]

1. That's gonna

get the positronic priests excited.

[hobbit709]

2. I got 10 bucks that says he's smarter than shrub.

[babylonsister]

3. Ha! No bet! nt

[Mountainman]

4. I hope they don't become alter boys.

[KansDem]

5. "It can't speak or walk yet..."

Well, at least he has a reason for doing nothing when told to clean up your room, take out the trash, mow the lawn, etc...

;)

[The2ndWheel]

6. Is that how isolated we are from each other?

"Unlike clearly artificial robotic toys, Hanson says he envisions Zeno as an interactive learning companion, a synthetic pal who can engage in conversation and convey human emotion through a face made of a skin-like, patented material Hanson calls frubber."

"It sees you and recognizes your face. It learns your name and can build a relationship with you."

Obviously actual humans aren't interactive learning companions, real pals who engage in conversation and human emotion through a face made of a skin-like, non-patented material everyone calls...skin. Actual humans can't see or recognize your face, or learn your name and build a relationship with you.

Sometimes it seems we're getting to that point at least.

[flashl]

7. Reminds me of the move AI n/t

[MilesColtrane]

8. !!!!

[Karenina]

9. Candace Bergen redux...

Poor kid. As my ex said, "I don't need a wife, I just need a CHILD." I kept him out of the gene pool for awhile. Consider it public service.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

10. Looks like Astro Boy.

An old Japanese cartoon about a robot maker who builds an artificial boy.

[Javaman]

11. saw the movie, it was okay until the last 20 minutes, then it sucked.

oh you mean for real? Like I said, I saw the movie.

[slowry]

12. "It learns your name and can build a relationship with you" but "can't speak or walk"... heh :/

So it's basically a lump of circuitry, "frubber", and one of those dreadful chat programs, which never say anything interesting.

[soothsayer]

13. if he put genitals on it would pedophiles get arrested for having one?