Japanese Build Pocket Robot-Cellphone Hybrid 81
An anonymous reader writes "Japanese researchers unveiled yesterday a pocket-size telepresence robot called Elfoid. The device, which looks like a little ghost, transmits voice and motion over a 3G network to convey a person's 'presence' to a remote location. It's a creation of Hiroshi Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University who is known for his lifelike teleoperated androids. The Elfoid has a limited range of motion, but its creators are planning to equip it with mini-actuators so it can imitate the movements of the person on the other end of the line. With vaguely formed features, the device is designed to be a surrogate of people of any age or gender."
Too Creepy (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Too Creepy (Score:4, Insightful)
But wouldn't you like to be able to hear your victim scream as you stick pins in this?
Re:Too Creepy (Score:4, Insightful)
Agreed. Burn it. Burn it with fire.
FREAKS!
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Agreed. Burn it. Burn it with fire.
FREAKS!
ya
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Just when you think Japan can't get any weirder, their researchers pull off another breakthrough!
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This one might be just perfect for Sheldon Cooper, don't you think?
It's That Bad? (Score:1)
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Not only that, they're too limited. I hate them. They should be focussing on the iPad & tablet market and creating super-cool avatars that beat the pants off anything Xbox has created. Isn't that far more William Gibson than having an ACTION FIGURE for crying ou
riiight... (Score:2, Interesting)
might be my next cellphone? no thanks, I may enjoy the song "voodoo people" by prodigy, but that doesn't mean i want a voodoo doll for a cellphone
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Oh no, just no (Score:1)
Kill it, with fire.
Bender & the card (Score:4, Interesting)
I don't know why, but for some reason, this just makes me think of the robotic greeting card sitting on Bender's shoulder:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Futurama_219_-_Mother's_Day.jpg [wikipedia.org]
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This appears to be essentially a 1:1 idea taken from future cell phones shown in macross: frontier. In there the phones made various noises, wiggled, and their "hands" where actually various phone extensions, like headphones. And they appeared to be operated by being squeezed in various way in addition to holographically projected controls.
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Something odd (Score:4, Funny)
What is wrong with these people?
Re:Something odd (Score:4, Funny)
This post really made me laugh for some reason.
If I had a girlfriend though, I would want her to be Japanese. I would love to come home and see her dressed as a maid or in cat ears... I don't think that part of Japanese weirdness is bad AT ALL...
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Heh, I keep getting told the same thing: I want to move to Japan, and people keep telling me "Japanese girls hate Americans." I don't really care; I want to get away from this city, and from Tokyo, and this ... mess. Find somewhere quiet, rolling hills, have a nice garden with a sakura tree and some flowers planted around... maybe teach English or Go, spend time in an Izakaya and at an Aikido dojo (and possibly Judo; Judo has always interested me, but it's inaccessible here), learn to cook some....
I lik
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Yeah them chess stories sound awfully fishy. Also, as someone who lived in Tokyo for a year, I gotta say there is much variation in the microcosm that is Tokyo. Its not like a vast uniform wasteland of pachinko and soap parlors =)
I've been around Hokkaido, Kyoto, Okinawa, and more. The most "Japanese" experience to my mind at least... was exploring the Izu Hanto, just a day's train ride from the bustle of Tokyo. Your mileage may vary. To bfl, I would suggest that if you do go (and you should!)... go w
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I'm not that skilled in Go either; I mostly reached 10kyu because I can outread everyone below 8kyu and most people below 6kyu. That is to say, I can play 12+ moves in my head and go, "... shit, that doesn't work." A lot of brilliant tesuji and joseki I play are things I've never seen; I discover them myself because they give the best result.
Chess is the same way. I want the knight and the bishop out, keep the queen back (I'm leery of using the queen as a primary attacker; it's too powerful to lose in
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If your partner is silent while having sex, you're doing it wrong.
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This post really made me laugh for some reason
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I don't see any reason to wake her up after the long day she's had.
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If I had a girlfriend though, I would want her to be Japanese. I would love to come home and see her dressed as a maid or in cat ears...
This post really made me laugh for some reason
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What is wrong with these people?
Prolonged radiation exposure. [imgur.com]
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"Turning?" Man, they passed freakazoid years ago.
argh! (Score:2)
oh yeah (Score:2)
sex party!
Chobits (Score:1)
So it's... (Score:3, Funny)
...just another android phone?
Obligatory marketing slogan (Score:2)
"Your plastic pal who's fun to be with"
And if it's tele-operated, the applications of this tech for adult entertainment are obvious.
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Oh go stick your head in a pig!
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"Excuse me, but I seem to be hearing a ring tone coming from your crotch"
Harold and Kumar go to white castle!? (Score:1)
/. Daily News (Score:2)
Today's top story is from the Uncanny Valley. Apparently they're letting unspeakable things tour our fair country.
Let me be the first to say, "OH GOD PLEASE GET IT AWAY FROM ME, I'LL DO ANYTHING!!!1!"
Glowing Chest (Score:2)
Please tell me the blue glowing chest does not turn red when it is "downloading" ?
Thanks Japan (Score:2)
Only you can take delusional schizophrenia and make it real.
This looks like crazy people talking to dolls.
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Sure they do, but only the schizo can hear it.
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"What's that you say, little ghost friend? Kill all humans?"
little ghost (Score:2)
Little ghost, little ghost
One I'm scared of the most
Can you scare me up a little bit of love?
Not bad at all. Great start. (Score:3)
Call me when they finish Sumomo.
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Seconded, although I'd rather have Kotoko.
Hiiiiiideeeee Hooooo! (Score:2)
Paint it brown, and it's Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo.
Is that a robot in your pocket or... (Score:2)
Well, eventually we'd hope to get... (Score:2)
here. [minitokyo.net]
Wrong body parts (Score:2)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this thing is going to speak to you through its ears and listen to you through its feet?
Hm.
No, that's not weird at all....
The ultimate baby monitor? (Score:1)
It certainly beats a facebook page like a drum, esp. for showing "horny" status.
Puppet, not robot, damn it! (Score:2)
A robot is autonomous; it does not simply follow someone else's movements.
E.g. Wikipedia:
A robot is a virtual or mechanical artificial agent. In practice, it is usually an electro-mechanical machine which is guided by computer or electronic programming, and is thus able to do tasks on its own. Another common characteristic is that by its appearance or movements, a robot often conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own.
WTF is a "robotic ghost"? (Score:2)
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Well, it is a horrific creatureâ¦but not a la Hellraiser.