Comments on: Robot of the Week (3B) http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/ Just another WordPress.com weblog Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:51:03 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Ian Huffaker http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-81 Ian Huffaker Sun, 10 Sep 2006 04:10:30 +0000 https://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-81 I would like to take this one last chance to nominate Bender as the robot of the week. I already stressed his physical abilities, but inspired by the interest in Hal, i would also like to stress his physical apearance. He is a robot from a thousand years in the future, and yet he still looks like something that you would find in a 1970's comic book. His extremely advanced capabilities as a worker, a thief, or a bum on the side of the road are contrasted with his physicality, which is primative by comparison. We must also remember not to forget his in-your-face attitude which we find lacking in most other takes on the robot of the future. And finally, it is important to note his interest in humans- not to be confused with an interest in humanity because bender explains almost constantly that robots are the superior species. However, despite his loathing for man-kind, he has compassion for those who are kind to him, and on several occassions remarks that he considers Fry to be something of a pet. This point exposes another interesting fact about bender, which is his unadulterated self-interest. Robots are often portrayed as selfless, or ant-like beings who care only for the greater good as they see it, but Bender uses very similar action and logic to tend to his own individual needs with little or no regard for anyone else. It is this fact that makes Bender such a special robot. He is an individual. I would like to take this one last chance to nominate Bender as the robot of the week. I already stressed his physical abilities, but inspired by the interest in Hal, i would also like to stress his physical apearance. He is a robot from a thousand years in the future, and yet he still looks like something that you would find in a 1970’s comic book. His extremely advanced capabilities as a worker, a thief, or a bum on the side of the road are contrasted with his physicality, which is primative by comparison. We must also remember not to forget his in-your-face attitude which we find lacking in most other takes on the robot of the future. And finally, it is important to note his interest in humans- not to be confused with an interest in humanity because bender explains almost constantly that robots are the superior species. However, despite his loathing for man-kind, he has compassion for those who are kind to him, and on several occassions remarks that he considers Fry to be something of a pet. This point exposes another interesting fact about bender, which is his unadulterated self-interest. Robots are often portrayed as selfless, or ant-like beings who care only for the greater good as they see it, but Bender uses very similar action and logic to tend to his own individual needs with little or no regard for anyone else. It is this fact that makes Bender such a special robot. He is an individual.

]]> By: Jane Choi http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-70 Jane Choi Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:35:49 +0000 https://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-70 I got too into the description and forgot to enclose the link. Here they are, <a href="http://www.smileproject.com/go/neil.htm" rel="nofollow">Neil and Iona</a>. I got too into the description and forgot to enclose the link. Here they are, Neil and Iona.

]]> By: Jane Choi http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-69 Jane Choi Sun, 03 Sep 2006 07:35:07 +0000 https://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-69 The Smile Project is composed of two sculptures, Neil and Iona ,that use sensors to react emotionally to people. Neil and Iona are really adorable--they have rounded bellies and Iona has a more womanly form complete with breasts. The sculptures use their bodies and a screen that shows their mouths to convey different expressions. If you scroll down you can see videos of them happy, sad and angry. The expression on their mouths reminds me of the expressions of the Peanuts characters. The Smile Project is composed of two sculptures, Neil and Iona ,that use sensors to react emotionally to people. Neil and Iona are really adorable–they have rounded bellies and Iona has a more womanly form complete with breasts.

The sculptures use their bodies and a screen that shows their mouths to convey different expressions. If you scroll down you can see videos of them happy, sad and angry. The expression on their mouths reminds me of the expressions of the Peanuts characters.

]]> By: Jack Harris http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-64 Jack Harris Sat, 02 Sep 2006 21:20:15 +0000 https://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-64 I nominate Giskard from Isaac Asimov's Robot series. Giskard is a telepathic robot who believes that robots should make decisions that benefit all of humanity and not just individuals. He postulates a new law of robotics that supersedes the first law. A robot shall not harm humanity or through inaction allow humanity to come to harm. Giskard eventually makes a decision to kill a human being for the greater good and in doing so his own brain is irreperably damaged. I nominate Giskard from Isaac Asimov’s Robot series. Giskard is a telepathic robot who believes that robots should make decisions that benefit all of humanity and not just individuals. He postulates a new law of robotics that supersedes the first law. A robot shall not harm humanity or through inaction allow humanity to come to harm. Giskard eventually makes a decision to kill a human being for the greater good and in doing so his own brain is irreperably damaged.

]]> By: Heather Madden http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-62 Heather Madden Fri, 01 Sep 2006 01:40:36 +0000 https://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-62 I'd like to nominate Teddy from the film <i>AI: Artificial Intelligence</i> for robot of the week. As many of you might recall from the film, Teddy is an artificially intelligent, robotic teddy bear that accompanies David on his quest to become a real boy. In the end, Teddy is David's one true friend. I thought it was interesting that Teddy's voice was not that of a sweet, cuddly teddy bear, but instead was this raspy, kinda creepy, old man voice. It is interesting to me that the robotic character in the film with the most distinct personality was, in fact, Teddy. It seems easier for people to accept an artificial intelligence that is humanoid. Teddy also reminds me of a popular toy when I was a child, Teddy Rupskin. Teddy Rupskin was a teddy bear that had a casette player built-in to its body. When a tape was played, the mouth of the bear would move and the eyes would occasionally blink. Looking back, Teddy Rupskin was pretty creepy but serves as a reminder of how deeply immersed robots are in our popular culture. I’d like to nominate Teddy from the film AI: Artificial Intelligence for robot of the week. As many of you might recall from the film, Teddy is an artificially intelligent, robotic teddy bear that accompanies David on his quest to become a real boy. In the end, Teddy is David’s one true friend. I thought it was interesting that Teddy’s voice was not that of a sweet, cuddly teddy bear, but instead was this raspy, kinda creepy, old man voice. It is interesting to me that the robotic character in the film with the most distinct personality was, in fact, Teddy. It seems easier for people to accept an artificial intelligence that is humanoid.

Teddy also reminds me of a popular toy when I was a child, Teddy Rupskin. Teddy Rupskin was a teddy bear that had a casette player built-in to its body. When a tape was played, the mouth of the bear would move and the eyes would occasionally blink. Looking back, Teddy Rupskin was pretty creepy but serves as a reminder of how deeply immersed robots are in our popular culture.

]]> By: Ardit Velia http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-55 Ardit Velia Sun, 27 Aug 2006 07:03:40 +0000 https://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-55 I'd like to nominate honda's new BMI (Brain Machine Interface) for robot of the week. This new technology allows us to decode natural brain activity and use that extracted data to operate a robot at a near to real-time with a 7 second lag time. In simpler terms, technology is now able to translate thoughts to information through the use of an MRI scan and the new BMI technology. The many advantages of this technology are that there is no surgery required to successfully translate thoughts, and as of right now they are able to decode simple decisions up to 85% accuracy. I feel like this kind of new technology questions Descartes' claim that the mind is an intangible entity that cannot be given tangible qualities. The BMI shows us that the mind is made of different mechanical and chemical processes that can be monitored and interpreted with technology that will soon be available. Do you think the BMI is taking us one step closer to the realization that the human mind and humans in general are no different than machines, programmed to follow predetermined functions based on the input of the environment? Furthermore, if at some point emotions and feelings can also be interpreted, is it taking us a step closer to diminishing the idea of the soul and identity? Here is a link to this "robot". http://www.atr.jp/html/topics/press_060526_e.html I’d like to nominate honda’s new BMI (Brain Machine Interface) for robot of the week. This new technology allows us to decode natural brain activity and use that extracted data to operate a robot at a near to real-time with a 7 second lag time. In simpler terms, technology is now able to translate thoughts to information through the use of an MRI scan and the new BMI technology. The many advantages of this technology are that there is no surgery required to successfully translate thoughts, and as of right now they are able to decode simple decisions up to 85% accuracy. I feel like this kind of new technology questions Descartes’ claim that the mind is an intangible entity that cannot be given tangible qualities. The BMI shows us that the mind is made of different mechanical and chemical processes that can be monitored and interpreted with technology that will soon be available. Do you think the BMI is taking us one step closer to the realization that the human mind and humans in general are no different than machines, programmed to follow predetermined functions based on the input of the environment? Furthermore, if at some point emotions and feelings can also be interpreted, is it taking us a step closer to diminishing the idea of the soul and identity?
Here is a link to this “robot”. http://www.atr.jp/html/topics/press_060526_e.html

]]> By: Kyle Rhodes http://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-54 Kyle Rhodes Sat, 26 Aug 2006 20:27:55 +0000 https://cl146.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/robot-of-the-week-3b/#comment-54 I'd like to nominate HAL 9000, from 2001: Space Odessy, for the Robot of the week. He is a very interesting robot because of his ability to interpret emotions, express emotions and reason. Many of the themes we have discussed in class are dealt with in the movie, which depicts HAL as very human-like, complete with emotional responses. Many of the emotions that Robbie expresses in I, Robot are seen in HAL's interactions with the ships crew. I’d like to nominate HAL 9000, from 2001: Space Odessy, for the Robot of the week. He is a very interesting robot because of his ability to interpret emotions, express emotions and reason. Many of the themes we have discussed in class are dealt with in the movie, which depicts HAL as very human-like, complete with emotional responses. Many of the emotions that Robbie expresses in I, Robot are seen in HAL’s interactions with the ships crew.

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