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Robotic Baby Seal Wins Top Award
Posted by
Zonk
on Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:43 PM
from the late-christmas-gift dept.
from the late-christmas-gift dept.
SilentOneNCW writes "The BBC has an article up about everyone's favourite creature — the robotic baby seal. This seal, called Paro, is fitted with sensors beneath its fur and whiskers that allow it to respond to petting. The idea is that by utilizing these sensors and flapping its arms, it can engage in therapy for older patients in nursing homes. It has won a service prize from the Japanese government sponsored Robot Awards 2006. The awards were set up earlier this year by the Japanese government to promote research and development in the robotics industry. Robots are widely used in Japan and are seen as a way to help deal with an aging population, maintaining the labour force and helping care for the elderly."
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Robotic club (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
e.g., "He was paro last night."
Re:Robotic club (Score:4, Funny)
You Linux guys are so speciesist.
Terms and Conditions (Score:5, Funny)
Stupid joke... (Score:2, Funny)
Suggestion (Score:5, Funny)
The idea is that by utilizing these sensors and flapping its arms, it can engage in therapy for older patients in nursing homes.
That's a good start. Now how about a lap dance?
About time (Score:5, Funny)
The other robot in the article I can forsee stabbing stubborn old people in the face with a spoonful of peas, finally we have a viable alternative to passively torturing our old people, the game of "hide the dentures" was getting a bit boring.
why? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:why? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:why? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
No, these things will mostly be used by the manga/porn industry. They always have problems getting a tight seal.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Anyone that's spent any real time interacting with actual dogs and cats is going to find something like this cold comfort indeed. Perhaps they're thinking
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
I think it's more to do with not having the space [blogspot.com] for pets.
Cuter then the AIBO (Score:2, Interesting)
It is interesting to see how different the robotics field is between the US an
Nice idea (Score:3, Funny)
My girlfriend tells me a story that when she went to Namibia, she went to see a beach where seals were having a sunbath. She had to throw away the clothes she was wearing that day because the smell would not come off.
I can't imagine the bad breath of a whale that eats these things.
I hope I never grow old (Score:4, Funny)
If they are condescending enough expect to stick me in some hole in the wall and pet a friggen robot doll, I'd tell them where they can shove it.
Well, unless they give me the source and a computer to hack it, then we may be able to talk. Throw in a deadly laser beam to stick on it's head and I just might wet myself.
Join the club (Score:3, Funny)
something other than a seal? (Score:2, Insightful)
Could they maybe make one of those attractive robotic girls that does this? It would make the perfect companion for the average slashdot reader.
Low opinion (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
"Robots are widely used in Japan and are seen as a way to help deal with an aging population."
I forsee robotic seal "wolfpacks" hunting down the elderly with their lasers and vaporizeing them, kinda like runni
Perplexed (Score:3, Insightful)
Let's say that this applies to say, 1% of the population.
Ok, now you stick some robotics into your stuffed toy (they would have said "clockwork" a hundred years ago), does that really raise the percentage of people interested in petting the stuffed toy and pretending that it's a real seal?
I mean I like stuffed toys myself, but I can't imagine that putting machinery inside of one makes it better. Since you don't have to pretend that it's moving or anything, I think you're MORE likely to be thinking of it as just an object, in case you'll think of it as a machine rather than as a pillow.
I mean lets face it, the smartest computerized toy is no nearer to being a real seal than an ordinary doll is.
And isn't the whole premise awfully condescending and insulting? If you want to help old people get over loneliness, why are you foisting toys on them rather than say, time with a real human being, or a real pet?
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
If I saw this
I wonder. (Score:2)
http://www.newgrounds.com/seals/index.html [newgrounds.com]
That's a fine way to treat the aged (Score:3, Funny)
Nurse: "Mr. Yamoto, it's time for your therapy"
The adorable robot seal flops into the room.
Patient: "No. Please no. For the love of god, don't put me in a room with that thing!"
Nurse: "Oh don't be a baby Mr. Yamoto, it's for your own good."
The robot looks at the patient and its eyes start to glow red.
Patient: "Anything but the robot seal! Anything! I'm begging you, please no!"
Nurse: "There's nothing to be afraid of. The seal just wants to be petted and help you"
The robot turns to the nurse and gives him an adorable, innocent expression.
Nurse: "See? Its harmless. The seal couldn't hurt a flea!"
The robot turns back to the patient and opens its mouth, revealing razor sharp steel teeth and a small amount of blood draining from the corner of its mouth.
The nurse shuts the patient in a small room with the seal. There's the sound of loud screaming for the next ten minutes, followed by silence.
Nurse (as he drags the patient's bloody corpse from the room): "Ahh, this new robot is great! Takes care of the fussy old folks like nobody's business!"
Message to the Japanese government (Score:3, Funny)