http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_on_hi_te/toddler_robot
So in Japan they designed a robot that will mimic a 2 year old, in the way it acts, walks, talks etc…
They said they’re are doing this to learn how a toddler learns.
Help me out here, that just doesn’t make sense.
If they built the robot, they KNOW how it will go about learning. OTOH, if they don’t understand how a toddler learns, how do they go about building a robot.
My head hurts.
The video is wonderfully creepy.
(from Japan’s NHK network, so everything’s in Japanese)
Note: you may get a “disturbing content” warning screen, but it’s safe for work. No blood or naughty bits, although the robot does seem to be getting a “bad touch” from one of the technicians at one point.
It’s cool, in my opinion, but I’m also confused about what they’ll learn about learning processes from it.
Could this be a new spin on it? I was in Japan some months ago and saw a news report (in english on one of the randomly in english news shows) that presented this more as a toy for childless couples and, even more oddly to me, the elderly. Grandparents would have a toddler to gush over and spoil and tuck in at night. Creepier now?
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Japan is weird.
My goodness! If I wanted a robot it would be a copy of anything BUT a two year old. Do these people not have two year olds around. :eek:
BTW, that looks like a severely retarded tot.
It looks like a HUGE toddler, and it seems to bark rather then talk. A Giant Barking Rubber Baby. I wonder if that’s what they where aiming for.
Super-Toys Last All Summer Long
Creepy and reminiscent of that AI Movie.
Science fiction comes alive.
Because toddlers learn by people interacting with them and the only way we can get people to interact with a robot like it’s a 2 year old is to build one that acts like a 2 year old.
Ye gods, its face! I’d rather be hugged by a T-800 than that thing.