Texas Student Attends School As a Robot 218
kkleiner writes "Freshman Lyndon Baty's immune system is so fragile he can't risk being surrounded by people his own age, yet he attends classes at his high school in Knox City, Texas every day. All thanks to a robot. The Vgo telepresence platform is a four foot tall bot on wheels with a small screen, camera, speakers and microphone at the top. Baty logs into the robot remotely from his home, using his PC and a webcam to teleconference into his classes. Baty can drive Vgo around his school, switching between classes just like regular students. For a boy that has spent much of his life sick and isolated from his peers, Vgo not only represents a chance at a better education, it's also an opportunity for freedom and comradery."
Typo (Score:4, Insightful)
You misspelled "Sheldon Cooper".
Re: (Score:3)
You misspelled "Sheldon Cooper".
Damn! You beat me to it. However we need to figure out what Dr. Cooper is doing back in high school...
Re: (Score:2)
'You misspelled "Sheldon Cooper".'
I'm sorry but it says "Moops" here.
Re: (Score:2)
Damn! You beat me to it. However we need to figure out what Dr. Cooper is doing back in high school...
Research on the social patterns, rituals, and mating habits of pubescent Homo-sapiens. Valuable information for when the mother-ship reaches our orbit.
Re: (Score:2)
This is of course a reminder of the legal problems inherent in this application. Monitoring the activities of minors in terms of signal interception and recording of sound and video.
Of course in any mass application, it is just crazy as. Seriously what would be the point of a whole bunch of remote controlled droids looking at each other in an otherwise empty board room, might as well just create a far cheaper virtual environment. As for medical application strapping a headcam, microphone and speaker to a
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
A.W.E.S.O.M.-O: What?
Butters: Remember I said I put that medicinal suppository in my anus? It will be so much easier having you do it from now on.
A.W.E.S.O.M.-O: Um, actually, A.W.E.S.O.M.-O is not programmed for that function.
Butters: A.W.E.S.O.M.-O, I thought you were programmed to do whatever I tell you. Yeah, that's pretty good. Get it up there good and deep.
A.W.E.S.O.M.-O: Lame.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
Strange. You would think that Sheldon would say something like "3 * ((3 * knock) + Penny)".
I'm sure he'd rather say (* (+ (* 3 knock) Penny) 3)
Re: (Score:2)
Déjà Vu (Score:2, Interesting)
The first step toward surrogates [wikipedia.org]?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Actually, I thought the coolest part of that video is where it docks itself. I wonder how that's done accurately because honestly the tech itself doesn't seem too sophisticated. Could do something like that as a home project. Sounds like a good hackerspace project actually.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Maybe even especially with a robot, you're not getting any cheerleaders.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Teledildonics [wikimedia.org]
Re: (Score:2)
Even with a robot, you're not getting any cheerleaders.
Maybe even especially with a robot, you're not getting any cheerleaders.
I dunno ... the phrase "I am fully functional, programmed in multiple techniques; a wide variety of pleasuring." is a hell of a pickup line ....
Re: (Score:2)
Even if you are, you will need a new robot.
A human may withstand being dunked by the cheerleader's old flame which happens to be the football team captain. I do not quite see a webcam on wheels surviving it.
Re: (Score:2)
.
Re: (Score:2)
I remember an old CBBC show called "FoT" that basically had this, except it was made up (that was the premise of the show, it'd show a short clip of something that was either "False or True", giving the show its name).
I only remember it because the filmed it using my class. And it wasn't a robot, just a speaker/camera. This *was* 1996, and it *was* BBC childrens programming, they probably didn't have the budget.
Robots around us more every day. (Score:2)
He's a bubble boy (Score:2)
"A bubble boy?"
"He lives in a bubble!"
Re: (Score:2)
Boy!
My mom needs to see this (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:My mom needs to see this (Score:5, Insightful)
Just buy her a washtub, a box of candles and a few cord of wood.
Then make a habit of throwing away her fresh foods during the winter.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
I know a couple of people like this.
The problem is that technology is so effective, it often works so well that it makes the problems it solves invisible so people don't even consider a world that has such problems.
Medical tech is the easiest place to find good examples.
To quote Professor Terry Pratchett:
"If you said to a bunch of average people two hundred years ago âoeWould you be happy in a world where medical care is widely available, houses are clean, the worldâ(TM)s music and sights and food
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
You're right. One of the most amazing and positive experiences I've had on the web, well, really before the web -- on usenet -- was meeting a person in one of the discussion newsgroups and chatting with them extensively about a variety of subjects. He was there in the melee of some pretty heated debates for years. He was articulate, intelligent, and voluminous. Later on, after I knew them pretty well, they explained why there were occasions when he disappeared for a few weeks when in the midst of a conv
Re: (Score:2)
Number of people who can keep in touch, know exactly where they are, and do work anytime/anywhere using laptops and smartphones and GPS == millions.
Number of people who can keep in touch, know exactly where they are, and do work anytime/anywhere using laptops and smartphones and GPS == millions.
So it's a wash.
Re: (Score:2)
and do work all the time/everywhere. Not necessarily a good thing.
Re: (Score:2)
That's exactly my point: it's good and it's bad.
Still missing a big part of school experience (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Hey now, there's all kinds of people in this world, you never know...
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
This quickly went from "sad sick kid", to "inspiring story of overcoming adversity", to "anime porn"...Funny how all roads lead to that end.
Re: (Score:2)
It is a fully functional android, programmed in multiple techniques.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Hostile Environment (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
No guns? Why do you want to underarm it compared to the enemy?
Re: (Score:2)
IANAL but isn't $6K worth of damage a felony in most jurisdictions?
I think that would provoke a response from the cops. While I don't discount the possibility, I think the kids know that it's bad juju to mess with this; sort of like smashing the windows on the principal's car.
Re: (Score:2)
Why would that stop them?
Kids in my high school threw acid on the principal's van and one of 'em sliced a history teacher with a razor blade. And my high school wasn't considered rough or abnormal.
Re: (Score:2)
Okay, clearly you're thinking of somewhere that is not Texas.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Your comments shows you are malicious and immature. The statement that you would be entertained for HOURS by a tipped-over robot shows you are either insane, a liar, or both.
No, just that he's easily amused and has no life.
Re: (Score:3)
In this case, the pathogenic environment of high school is so hostile to this particlar student that it would actually kill him in short order (immunodeficient). Second, able-bodied students have the same problem [nytimes.com]. Third, the robot has a $1,200 / year maintenance contract. Fourth, you could always add some accessories [roboticrevolutions.com].
Re: (Score:2)
That was my first thought too, it looks rather fragile. One of those military walking bots would be more appropriate i think.
But its still a great idea for those who really cant get out into the 'world'. Its not a replacement for real life, but its a good step in the right direction for them.
Too many fart jokes (Score:2)
http://www.tv.com/the-big-bang-theory/the-cruciferous-vegetable-amplification/episode/1356071/summary.html?tag=ep_guide;summary [tv.com]
Can't Wait for More (Score:2)
What's wrong with sexbots? (Score:5, Insightful)
Personally, I think you're more likely to get funding to build sexbots. There's *how many* Japanese companies that build multi-thousand-dollar sex-dolls already? And there's at least two in the USA that make high-end sex-dolls (and too many making cheap inflatables)...
Although there may be eyebrow-raising, most (male) people are secretly rubbing their hands together (and other things) at the prospect of an autonomous sex-bot. And while telepresence may be nice, whoever corners the market for sex-bots is going to make Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg look like paupers.
Although you may not believe it, Futurama has it right. Sex-bots might be declared illegal in some future, because it will seriously impact reproduction, it may lead to low number of human to human pairings as well as having half the population (women) wondering how they are going to compete. See: Chobits/Persecoms
Re: (Score:2)
Really?
Quote [army.mil]: "Telepresence can be defined as a human-computer-machine condition in which a user (a Soldier) receives sufficient information about a remote, real-world site (a battlefield) through a machine (a robot) so that the user feels physically present at the remote, real-world site."
CC.
Re: (Score:3)
Chance of funding, in descending order of application:
Military
Sex
.
Business
.
.
.
.
.
Health/Education
Re: (Score:2)
CC.
Re:What's wrong with sexbots? (Score:5, Funny)
Are you kidding? A serious challenge to women's monopoly on pussy would be the best thing to happen to the human race. Imagine how much kinder and less manipulative women will become. If there's anything on this Earth that needs to be taken down a peg or two it's the average female ego that has learned through the eons to take it for granted that there will always be other suitors, so the mate she has now is "expendable" and "replacable" and it's somehow okay to toy with him using his desires. Currently, women unilaterally make the decision to terminate 80% of all relationships that break up, particularly marriage.
Shit man. With sexbots being common it might not be so damned difficult to find a good woman. They'd have to learn to offer something that a sexbot can't, like love and good conversation and real kindness and intelligence. The impact on reproduction isn't necessarily a big deal. Imagine how few babies will be born out of wedlock to people who had no intention of becoming parents and are neither financially nor emotionally prepared to raise a child. Imagine less contention for resources and the standard of living that would be available to an Earth with say, a population of 1 billion. Imagine fewer "crimes of passion" like all the murders and domestic disputes that happen as rival males competing for desirable women is greatly reduced.
Re: (Score:3)
The fact is, it is easier than probably any time in history for men in Western society to have sex without any commitment. An average woman feels like she has to put out to even get a guy interested these days, because there is very little taboo remaining for premarital sex. For an average looking woman who wants to keep sex for after marriage in today's world, it's li
And the ultimate anti-bullying system... (Score:2)
Twin heat-seeking Hunter-Killer missiles and swivel-mounted gatling guns on either side of the screen.
External Study (Score:2)
As far as an education goes, isn't this the equivalent of external study?
Perfectly natural (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
I thought about how kids interact with each other in Facebook chat rooms
Or via IM and mobile short messages... In fact, assuming decent enough integration of Lyndon Baty with his peers, I expect those methods to be the main ways of communication - despite the robot.
Though his version of participation in undressing video call might get weird.
There's a small legal problem with telepresence (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
It would be better... (Score:2)
if his classmates didn't keep sticking "Disconnect my batteries" signs on his back.
Another One (Score:2)
Here's another case, in Moscow, reported earlier : http://www.news.com.au/technology/leukaemia-sufferer-stepan-supin-stays-home-sends-robot-to-school/story-e6frfro0-1225992845324 [news.com.au]
Technology opens exciting new possibilities . . . (Score:3)
. . . for mockery and bullying.
"No, NO! Not the wire cutters!"
"I'm not a battlebot! I'm not a battlebot! Please take me out of the arena I'm not . . ." ggzzzzzZZZZZ-CRASH!
"OK, who put caltrops under Lyndon's Bot's wheels?"
PC only? (Score:2)
Not really that new except for the condition (Score:4, Interesting)
When I was in the 3rd grade there was a boy who had had polio and teleconference into class. This was in 1958, the phone company even back then had some teleconferencing tech. (It was an independent phone company btw not bell). So the difference is Video. And recall that in the mid 1960s ma bell was all hot over videophones (they were at disneyland and the worlds fair among other places). So at that time it was just a question of cost the tech existed. Now again here it may be that the costs have decreased enough that its economically justifiable.
Vgo the Carpathian? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Only a Carpathian would come back to life now, and choose Knox City, Texas!
Tasty pick... bonehead!
Bullying 2.0 (Score:2)
2 min in the sin bin is not much (Score:2)
2 min in the sin bin is not much
Big deal (Score:3)
Wow (Score:2)
I just want to be this kid's best friend. So I can say "My best friend is a robot".
Its a good thing... (Score:3)
Its a good thing people in Texas are tolerant of those different from them, this should go really smoothly.
My kingodm for an editior! (Score:2)
AWESOMO! (Score:2)
Cartman, that's is a really cruel joke to play on Butters.
I'm amazed that he fell for it again.
!News (Score:2)
This has already been done in Russia. Of course Russia no being a state of the US of A, most folks here would prefer to assume that they don't have modern technology, only bad 1970s hairdos and 1990s PCs....
laptop on roomba? (Score:3)
Laptop with webcam [google.com] = ~$350 cheap roomba [google.com] = ~$150
Charging $5,000 + $1,200 per year "service contract" [youtube.com] for $500 in hardware = PRICELESS
as long as it doesn't want to "touch God" (Score:2)
Same in Moscow, Russia (Score:2)
http://medportal.ru/mednovosti/news/2011/01/21/droid/ [medportal.ru]
(translation http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=ru&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fmedportal.ru%2Fmednovosti%2Fnews%2F2011%2F01%2F21%2Fdroid%2F [google.com] )
A droid was attending Moscow school instead of sick by leikemia boy.
Re: (Score:2)
He also has an unfair advantage for the snoring courses where you just have to drag your cadaver to and not even pretend to listen to pass. Wouldn't you have loved to put a dummy into class while you go and have fun?
Re: (Score:2)
You could still be sick enough to not attend class even if by robot proxy.
Re: (Score:2)
I wish I could have sent my robot to my high school instead of having to go myself.
Re: (Score:2)
And pay for a biohazard suit for the tutor and insurance if the kid picks up flu from him.
Do not think so. Immune system disorders are a nasty business and this is probably one of the best ways to deal with some of the problems they bring. Definitely the cheapest.
Re: (Score:2)
I was thinking about that, myself. I have to wonder if anyone has ever snuck up behind it and tipped it over or something. I'm sure the school has issued notices about the expensiveness of the item so messing with it is expressly prohibited, but kids don't really care about that crap.
Re: (Score:2)
.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
In the US, HS students have different classes in different rooms. English here, math there, science somewhere else. Every room would have to have the same stuff. Or, you make a mobile teleconference setup, like this thing.
Re: (Score:2)
Also, most teleconference equipment is more set up to have the lead(teacher) be the remote party, not one of the students. With the robot he has additional ability to participate.
Personally, I'm surprised that nobody brought up the guy [cnet.com] who telecommutes to work via a robot he built himself. I know it's getting old, but it's still a precedent.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not reading all of that, but to imply that allowing students to wake up at 11am, watch their classes on TV, then email in their assignments is a replacement for actual school is insanity.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Okay, ignoring the obvious asshole troll factor, you do realize that evolution is not normative?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)