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Dr. Robot Watches Over Home And More
jverbov writes "A Canadian firm has created what they call an 'intellgent personal robotic companion.' It can be wirelessly connected to your home Internet connection, has a built-in camera and speech recognition software. There's a recent article about it at the Toronto Star." This thing promises a lot, and while the price is steep, it's a lot cheaper than some other household robots due out.
So anyone with a bit of knowhow (or the right script) could potentially hijack this device to watch ladies change, or to observe someone punching in an alarm code, or whatever else their devious little minds might come up with? I really like the idea of Canadian robots, and having connected devices is pretty neat as well - but the internet is inherently insecure, and I just don't know if I'd feel comfortable with a little camera running around watching me all day when the possibility exists that someone could access it.
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How can a robot enhance your life? They make it sound like you're adopting someone or hiring your own personal assistant.
Let me know when robots can actually do important yet monotonous tasks for me, and then I'll buy one. Until then, I'll just consider robots cool gadgetry, but not purposeful, functional things.
Or get a dog.
Imagine this thing being hacked, if it's got an internet connection, it's just a matter of time. With the options this thing has it could report you to the RIAA for downloading songs, or start the next "klez variant" outbreak, even record your "extra carricular activities" to play back for your girlfriend. It's a robotic spy waiting to happen.
) Human Kind Vs Human Creation
) It'd be interesting to see how many humans would survive to serve us.
Pretty hard to check your email when your computer is the back of some guy's van.
Finally, math books without any of that base 6 crap in them.
Unless the robot gets some big gnashing teeth and a good lunging procedure programmeded in, somehow I think that - for security measures - a guard dog is still better.
Will there be a sign like: caution, guard robot.
The problem is, that until somebody steps within our little metal friend's perimeter, they can happily plunder your house. Even if the robot grabs them quickly, they're still able to get away for some smash and grab.
Meanwhilst, fido (with the sign indicating the house is guarded, to hopefully dissuade idiotic US lawsuits) with his dagger-sharp teeth and strong appetite for crooks is still going to be a much better deterrent.
Of course, if we could get some robots with laser beams or something equally cool. Maybe you could program it to make the groin area an optimal aim-point... good deterrant indeed!