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Robotics

Robot Hall of Fame 2004 Inductees Announced 131

Posted by michael from the take-me-to-your-leader dept.
generic-man writes "According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Carnegie Mellon University has announced this year's inductees for the Robot Hall of Fame. On October 11, the Hall welcomes Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet, Astroboy, C3PO, Honda's ASIMO, and a 'pioneering mobile robot called Shakey.' They join R2D2. the Mars Pathfinder rover, and other robots from the class of 2003."
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Robot Hall of Fame 2004 Inductees Announced More

Robot Hall of Fame 2004 Inductees Announced

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  • I for one.. (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:36PM (#9467511)
    welcome our new robot overlords.

  • When's Data getting in? (Score:5, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:36PM (#9467516)
    It would be illogical to exclude him.

    • Re:When's Data getting in? (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Anonymous Coward
      Lt. Cmdr Data deserves this. It is an OUTRAGE to see him excluded from this prestigious list!

  • Bender (Score:4, Funny)

    by Mac-O-War ( 682910 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:36PM (#9467518) Journal
    Bender belongs on that list

  • I nominate (Score:5, Funny)

    by Unnngh! ( 731758 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:37PM (#9467527)
    I, for one, nominate Darl McBride, everyone's favorite FUD-slinging robot! The openserver platform he's running on seems a bit buggy however--some of the outputs make no sense...

  • Robby the Robot (Score:4, Funny)

    by joNDoty ( 774185 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:37PM (#9467532)
    Man, my dad just burnt me a copy of forbidden planet. After seeing it for the first time recently, I gotta agree that Robby should make this hall of fame. The robot produced, what, 60 gallons of alcohol for that alcoholic crew member? What loyalty! And the way the robot made those giant sheets of lead wobble as if they were only styrofoam set props. Brilliant.

    • I, not a Robot (Score:3, Insightful)

      by arth1 ( 260657 )
      Robby would be nice, yes.

      But what surprises me is how they could elect Asimo without also electing R. Daneel Olivaw! Without R. Daneel, there wouldn't have been an Asimo. Well, at least not under that name.

      Regards,
      --
      *Art
    • Hey its "The Tempest" with a few changes. Shakespeare would have loved Leslie Nielsen.

      Morpheus, a remake is approaching from the South
      Monsters! Monsters from the studio!
      My poor Krell. Countless centuries of civilization ruined by J Lo and Ben Affleck.
    • Hehe I cannot suppress a laugh myself, at the first appearance of Robbie, for the funny way it walks (and i pity the guy who had to walk around with that costume, it must have had some weight). But Robbie is my fave robot of all times. First of all, it is well programmed, never hurts a human throughout the film and keeps behaving like a tool without magically acquire emotions or a personality during the movie (HAL, are you listening... er... reading my lips?). He's never hacked (receives a bypass code fro
    • Robby may be famous but in as much as he contributed to expanding the possibilities of robots in sci-fi, he's completely useless. I nominate the robot from woman from Lang's Metropolis movie made in 1927. The transition from human to robot would still have made the cut in Hollywood sci-fi movies until the late 60's.

  • Give it a few years (Score:3, Funny)

    by Timesprout ( 579035 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:39PM (#9467547)
    And the robots will be voting for the Humanoid Hall of Fame

  • Hmmm... (Score:3, Funny)

    by xenostar ( 746407 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:39PM (#9467548)
    I don't see Cher on there.

  • COG (Score:3, Interesting)

    by afidel ( 530433 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:41PM (#9467566)
    I was very suprised that COG [mit.edu] was not on either list. COG is doing more for the real advancement of robotics then any of those "celebrity" robots ever will. I mean why should we transfer the cult of personality from hollywood to the realm of robotics?
    • And why do you know COG? Probably because you've seen it on TV. COG is as much a "celebrity" robot as R2D2, and has done about as much to advance the field of robotics. Unless you're counting people inspired to work on robotics, in which case R2D2 probably has the upper hand.

      I really don't understand this "Robot Hall of Fame". Is it for science fiction stuff, real robotics, what? It really just seems like a waste of time to amuse children and ignorant adults.
      • Nope, I visited the media lab on a campus tour back when I was visiting schools to apply to. Got in but couldn't afford the ~40K/year tuition+room&board. My parent's house cost $42K for god's sake! I ended up going to RIT [rit.edu] which was less than half the cost =)

  • The World's Greatest Robot (Score:5, Interesting)

    by 14erCleaner ( 745600 ) <FourteenerCleaner@yahoo.com> on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:41PM (#9467567) Homepage Journal
    I'd like to nominate Mr. Coffee, possibly the world's most important robot. Millions of people couldn't get out of bed in the morning if their coffeemaker weren't up before them, getting the morning brew ready.
    • I hope this Mr. Coffee you speak of, dispenses coffee from a sealed container into the brewing chamber and not rely on the user to put coffee grinds it the night before. I'm sure you lose quite a bit of coffee flavor and aroma in the latter case.

  • must... nominate... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Tar-Palantir ( 590548 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:41PM (#9467577)
    Marvin, the Paranoid Android.

    Brain the size of the universe and I can't even get nominated. Life, don't talk to me about life.

  • My nominations . . . (Score:5, Insightful)

    by harley_frog ( 650488 ) <harley_frog@yah o o .com> on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:42PM (#9467580) Journal
    Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo from Mystery Science Theater 3000. Let's face it, not everyone (robots included) can sit through ten years of the cheesiest movies ever made without getting some kind of award.

  • AlGore (Score:5, Funny)

    by raider_red ( 156642 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:42PM (#9467582) Journal
    I think we need to admit the AlGore robot to the hall of fame. Not only was he a revolution in cybernetics, but he was almost elected president.
    • I think we need to admit the AlGore robot to the hall of fame. Not only was he a revolution in cybernetics, but he was almost elected president.
      "Almost?" Au contrare [gregpalast.com].

      • Re:"Almost?" (Score:3, Informative)

        by raider_red ( 156642 )
        He lost the election that actually matters. Namely, in the electoral college.
    • Not only was he a revolution in cybernetics. . .

      Resulting in his invention of the AlGore-Rhythm, the patterned, recurring alternations of contrasting elements of political speech when running for office.

      "Left! Left! Left, right, left! Left! Left! Left, right, left! There I was just campaigning down the street. . ."

      KFG
    • Let's not forget that he invented the internet.

      Also, and possibly more importantly, as the VP he lead his team of Vice Presidential Action Rangers to protect the space time continum (it's in the constitution).

      All hail AlGoreBot

  • Agent [imdb.com] Smith [warnerbros.com]
  • What about Marvin [about.com]?? He should be on it. He always reminds me of so many people I actually know

  • Danger, Danger! (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Tumbleweed ( 3706 ) * on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:49PM (#9467660)
    No 'Robot' from Lost in Space? (I can't remember his model number.)

    Also:

    whatserface from Metropolis
    Huey, Dewey & Louie from Silent Running
    the Kung Fu robots from Ice Pirates ("I can't figure out this one's program.")
    the friendly denizens of Westworld

    Lots of others deserving to be included!

    I didn't see any of these mentioned from the 2003 list, and I couldn't find the 'total' list, if there is one. Anybody? Anybody? Bueller?
    • Robbie the robot and the "Robot" from Lost in Space are the same robot (or robot suite). kvn ps. get it right you tin plated ninny!
    • The robot's name on Lost in Space was "ROBOT". The robot in Metropolis is referred to as "False Maria" (though I have also heard the term "robotrix" bandied about).

      My nominee for robot would be Maximillian from "The Black Hole" that guy scared me when I was a kid...
      • Ohhh yeah, Maximillian was scary as hell! Good nomination...

        I think that movie would've gotten a lot more respect if the 'good' robots hadn't been so cutesy. Same problem that Return of the Jedi had with the Ewoks. In both cases, they cute ones were actually very effective, but _geez_.

    • No 'Robot' from Lost in Space? (I can't remember his model number.)

      The ship's robot was a model B9, class M3 robot (from The Ghost Planet and The Colonists episodes, respectively).

      J Wolfgang Goerlich

  • "Daddy created him for good, but he turned out EVIL!"

    Wallace & Grommit, "Close Shave"

  • ironic that there's ASIMO.. (Score:5, Insightful)

    by gl4ss ( 559668 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @04:55PM (#9467733) Homepage Journal
    ..but nothing from asimoV..

    especially when asimov's robots had much more depth than starwars robots could ever aspire to have.. even if he made them act by pre-set logical rules(which was the whole point anyways).

    I mean, christ, even terminator is more robot(_machine_) like than r2d2 or c3p0 are, r2d2 and c3p0 could be a midget and a butler without any difference in their actions(of course, the midget would have to be a slicer as well..).

    in fiction making a character into a robot is most just to justify the character for being very shallow(and geek 'sexy') and to have special powers.

    • In addition to Asimov and (at least) R. Daneel Olivaw, let's not forget the other grand master, dirty old Heinlein.

      If they can vote in HAL 9000, which is a computer and not a robot, well, then Mycroft definitely deserves a place on that list.
      • I think HAL 9000 qualifies as the brains of a robot, since HAL had control of the entire ship, which could be considered its body. But HAL 9000 by itself was definitely a computer.
    • Another reason for making a character into a robot is because robots can get away with things on TV that humans doing would be censored. Futurama's Bender is a great example of this - he smokes, binge-drinks, pick-pockets frequently, and says things that a human character could never get away with on TV.

      Like the 5th-season episode title says, "Bender should not be allowed on TV", but he is.
    • R2D2 and C3P0 are not shallow characters at all. They're the only characters in the movies that we get any real sense have feelings about the events surrounding them that go deeper than the waistline. R2, clearly in control of more events than he lets on, is constantly thinking ahead and taking giant causes on his shoulders in order to protect the ones he cares about. He evolves, but slightly, though the course of the chronology of the series. His actions in the first three movies, like Yoda's, show a certa
      • they are shallow characters that could easily have been a midget and a butler still, what you make of them is another matter though.

        and yeah I dare to say that star wars aren't that well planned series of films, they're a shallow fairytale with some action and magic(not just high tech magic, but regular magic to boot!) slapped on far far away. the relevant pieces(emotionally and plotwise) in ep1 and 2 could be condensed easily into 10 mins per film.

        anyways you're quite obviously quite a starwars buff sinc
        • they are shallow characters that could easily have been a midget and a butler

          I think that summs up the problem with your viewpoint. You seem to think that a midget and a butler would not be interesting characters, but as I look back on the development of what started as an obvious nod to Laurel and Hardy, and have since become not just likable characters, but characters with enough depth to continue to be interesting 6 movies later... well, I don't care if they're a Bavarian sword-juggler and a bar-hoppe
  • I think Billy Mumy should be the curator. I mean, really, what else is he doing?

  • I've always wanted... (Score:5, Funny)

    by CommieLib ( 468883 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @05:00PM (#9467776) Homepage
    To invent a robot dog and name it Dogmatic.
    • Of course he has to repeat the experiment:

      "Do you know how fast you were going?"

      "Yes officer. 64.93534572099238 miles/hour. I'm a very good driver, but can you tell me how to get to Fort Smith from here? I seem to be lost."

      (Cue Arkansas Traveller on the fiddle)

      "Well, can I take this road to Fort Smith?"

      "I'll tell ya, I been standing here all day and don't see no point and ain't seen it move, so I knows it's there already."

      (Cue fiddle again)

      Entangle your partner!

      KFG
  • This was one of the first real robots I remember reading about (c. 1975). I wanted to build one for myself, but a nine year old's allowance couldn't handle it.

    Shakey was the size of small refrigerator, wheeled and (in retrospect) ugly as hell. I always thought it looked like it was going to topple over. But a robot that's smart enough to manipulate its environment (move a wooden ramp into position so it could roll up a step and continue on the task you asked it to do in the first place) - ground breaki

  • What about Muffit from Battlestar Gallactica?
    Wasn't he like a robotic Ewok?
  • Dr. Who's faithful robot companion.
  • Should not we also nominate Commander Data?
    It would be the human thing to do.
  • Can I nominate president Bush into the robot hall of fame?
  • Once again they have forgotten the almighty pimpbot.

    "The man, the myth, the pimp. This is the PimpBot 5000. He combines the classic sensibilities of a 1950's robot with the dynamic flare of a 1970's street pimp."

    I can't believe he won't be included.

    More pimpbot info at http://www.pages.drexel.edu/undergrad/st95wf3z/pim pbot.html

  • But be careful.... (Score:3, Funny)

    by One Louder ( 595430 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @06:26PM (#9468604)
    If your name is Sarah Connor, it is highly recommended that you *not* visit this museum.

  • Robotica (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Audacious ( 611811 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @06:27PM (#9468613) Homepage
    Robby the Robot not only showed up in Forbidden Planet but he also put in an appearance in several other films and TV Shows. He showed up in "Lost in Space" (TV), and "Back to the Future" (Movie - in the museum).

    The other robot [geocities.com] from "Lost in Space" (TV) should also go into the museum.

    Androids should probably get their own museum as they are a bit different from plain robots. My favorite to go into an Android museum would be BladeRunner's Roy.

    There have been so many robots used (both good and badly designed) in movies - it is probably really hard to decide just whom should go into the hall of fame.

    Vega from StarTrek-the Movie would be another good one. Only, they would have to build an entire planet to accommodate it. :-)

  • Linguo [macalester.edu] got the shaft again.

    Homer: [gasps] Linguo -- dead?

    Linguo: Linguo is dead.
  • ...Nuku Nuku [animefu.com].She's got the brain of a cat, the behavior of a genki little High School girl, and she kicks all manner of ass. I'm sure she's a bit low on their priority list but she deserves a spot in the Robot Hall Of Fame.
  • How could they possibly forget The Transformers??! They should immediately throw out the entire list and populate it with the likes of Optimus Prime (now you don't get many people changing their names [wkyc.com] to R2D2 now, do you?), Bumblebee and Megatron! (The title is a badly formed attempt at making the noise when they transform)

    However, they have to leave just one gap for No-No from Ulysses 31. And that other robot that was at the end of Battle of the Planets (the UK version).

  • The obvious winners next year.... (Score:3, Insightful)

    by MtViewGuy ( 197597 ) on Friday June 18, 2004 @11:53PM (#9470691)
    ....The Mars Exploration Rovers named Spirit and Opportunity that have tremendously expanded our knowledge of the Martian soil since their missions began at the beginning of 2004. The spectacular pictures from two MER's have opened up the very distinct possibility that life once existed on Mars extensively, and some primitive forms of life may still exist there even now.
  • Shakey is actually at the Silicon Valley Computer Museum. Shakey was one of the first mobile robots, yet turned out to be a dead end. The Shakey approach to vision, which dominated vision research for a decade, was to try to extract a line drawing (the "primal sketch") from a scene. Then, "reasoning" algorithms were applied to determine which objects occluded other objects.

    At the time, this was incredibly slow, but that wasn't the real problem. The problem is that it only works for worlds composed of

  • Seems odd to me that "Robbie" and Sony's robot are included together, as if there is no difference between 1950s SciFi cheese, and real break-through technology.

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