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CMU Unveils Robot Hall Of Fame

Posted by timothy on from the where's-darl? dept.

CMU_Nort writes "Carnegie Mellon University has just unveiled the Robot Hall of Fame. Along with that announcement, MSNBC has an article about the first honorary inductees, including R2D2 and Mars Pathfinder. You also have the chance to nominate other robots."

234 comments

  1. Nominate A Robot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Robot Name: Darl McBride
    Robot Link: Darl McBride

    Reason:Darl McBride should be considered for induction to the Robot Hall of Fame for his wonderful example of autonomous operation in the face of outstanding obstacles. If placed in the same position, any lesser robot would seg fault and dump core, but not Darl. He fearlessly plugs away at his thankless job, pressing the PR button. Hopefully, the twillight of solid-state death will not come to this robot too soon, and when it does, may it come suddenly, like a fast-burning fuse popping. Until such time, let's raise our soldiering irons to this icon -nay, this paragon of robotic execution that is Darl Mc Bride and immortalize him in the Robot Hall of Fame.

    Thank you.

    1. Re:Nominate A Robot by t0qer · · Score: 1

      I nominate Gigalo Joe from the movie AI. I mean heck, this was some geeks creation that got $paid$ not just to have sex, but to fullfill a womans needs both physically and emotionally.

      First google link that popped up was for a fan site. http://fans.papervixen.net/joe/main.php

      As a guy I think it would be cool to have a Joe around for a coach. He's sort of a multiplatform system programmed with the kuma satra, men are from mars and women are from venus, GQ, and the complete collection of Ophra book club.

    2. Re:Nominate A Robot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just nominated the Cherry model 5000:

      When Sam Treadwell breaks his Cherry 2000, a robot wife/sex toy, he hires E Johnson, to guide him across a dangerous apocalyptic wasteland to an abandoned manufacturing plant where he hopes to find a duplicate model Cherry 2000 to replace it with.

      http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092746/

  2. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  3. Sybian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Sybian has my vote.

    1. Re:Sybian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the votes of many liberated and unusually relaxed women from around the world...

    2. Re:Sybian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While I *would* consider seconding that nomination, I would prefer the Sybian stay "behind the scenes" as long as possible.

      Lets face it. As soon as they can make an artificial insemination attachment for that puppy, men *will* become obsolete.

      (said after seeing one of these things in action, and speaking with the girl who, before trying said "yeah, it looks like fun, but there is no way in *hell* I would spend that much money for a sex toy" .. afterwards, she said "You know, *pant pant* forget what I just said, I've spent the *last* dollar on a boyfriend I will ever spend. I'm getting one of those!")

      Guess I better post this one anon.

  4. The most famous robots of all by Hi_2k · · Score: 3, Funny

    Everybody knows them: The microsoft marketing people!

    --
    When life gives you crap, Make Crapade.
    Sluggy Freelance.
    1. Re:The most famous robots of all by d3kk · · Score: 0
      Hahaha I get it! You're making fun of Microsoft!

      I'm glad you got modded up because it was a really innovative and hilarious post!

    2. Re:The most famous robots of all by LeoDV · · Score: 1

      Hahaha I get it! You're sarcastically criticizing a guy for flaming Microsoft without good reason and getting modded up for it!

      Am I the only one getting tired of this whole debacle?

    3. Re:The most famous robots of all by Hard_Code · · Score: 1

      The thing that makes the criticism legitimate is not that they are Microsoft marketing people, but that they are Microsoft marketing people.

      Everybody is free to whale gratuitously on all forms of marketers in my book.

      --

      It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
  5. k9? by DAldredge · · Score: 3, Funny

    What about K9 from Dr. Who? That put a rolling trashcan that beeps into the hall of fame, but they don't put in K9?

    Why? Did Lukas donate some money to there school at somepoint?

    1. Re:k9? by geekoid · · Score: 2, Informative

      First, R2-D2 is far more widley known then K9. perhaps the most widly know robot ever.
      second, it just opened for Christ sake, go and vote for K9.

      Third, by putting in a fictional robot, they set the stage. latter someone can't say, you're not allowed, its only for real robots.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:k9? by DAldredge · · Score: 1

      Or they are seting the stage so the wealty in Hollywood can 'donate' money and 'earn' a spot for one of their companies robots.

      But that would NEVER happen, now would it?

    3. Re:k9? by PopCulture · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I dont get it.

      You invite people to respond and not mod down to your sig, I do on your journal, and you do not respond!

      Your sig read that 75% of the palestinians supported the Haifa restaurant attack...

      but nearly 75% of Fox news viewers in the U.S. supported the war on Iraq, and thought that Saddam Hussein had access to Nukes and was ready to use them, as well as being behind the 9/11 attacks. Wrong on both counts!

      How many Al-Jazeera viewers do you think had those same beliefs as the Fox news folks?

      Just food for thought, nothing more... why not check out foriegn sources of news, more impartial sources with less to gain/lose? Please respond, don't mod down :)

      --

      Here's to finally giving Bush his exit strategy in November
    4. Re:k9? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck K9. K9 should have been shredded and recycled into a soda can after the first episode. That piece of shit ruined every single ep he was in.

      K9 makes Janet Fielding look like a good actress.

    5. Re:k9? by Codifex+Maximus · · Score: 1

      I second the vote for K9. He's got an a bit of an attitude and delusions of omnipotence. :)

      --
      Codifex Maximus ~ In search of... a shorter sig.
  6. Nomination by Prince+Cyph0r · · Score: 0

    Robot Name: Bender

    1. Re:Nomination by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You mean Bender B. Rodriguez

      Bite my shiny metal ass!

    2. Re:Nomination by mirko · · Score: 1

      BTW, have you heard of Robot Frank>/A> ?
      Truely hilarious :)

      --
      Trolling using another account since 2005.
  7. What about the Asimo? by ActionPlant · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Seriously, Honda's Asimo needs to be on this list. Unless I missed it, of course.

    http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/

    And how could we forget the Rhoomba vacuum? Both robots of our time that are paving the way for things to come. Obvious choices, maybe, but necessary choices nonetheless.

    Damon,

    --
    http://actionPlant.com
    1. Re:What about the Asimo? by breser · · Score: 1

      Wasn't inducted but they did use a picture of the ASIMO. So they obviously think highly of it.

    2. Re:What about the Asimo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I think it's obvious this is about popularity and not the ability of the robot to actually do anything...much like presidential elections in a way.

    3. Re:What about the Asimo? by Hard_Code · · Score: 1

      bite my shiny metal ass

      --

      It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
    4. Re:What about the Asimo? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Asimo is worthless, even more so that C3P0 or R2D2. I balk at seeing science fiction robots in the Hall of Fame, but the concept of one of the more worthless PR robots floating around today being inducted makes me want to gag myself. Asimo is an impressive bit of engineering, but I feel that all those man hours could have been better used. Much the same with Kizmet. MIT has been wasting the time of some pretty good researchers on relatively worthless projects. Or atleast that's my $.02.

      Oh, and my nomination? NavLab and R. Daneel. Yes, R. Daneel is science fiction, but Asimov is the man.

  8. Re:Where is J5? by Evil+Adrian · · Score: 0

    No disassemble!

    --
    evil adrian
  9. Hope they fix the nomination page... by jejones · · Score: 3, Informative

    When you try to nominate a robot, you get a "Bad/No Recipient" error page.

    In any case--once it's up, IMHO Nilsson's robot "Shakey" deserves nomination.

    1. Re:Hope they fix the nomination page... by Sangui5 · · Score: 1

      Ahh, good ol' Shakey. I don't know if he'll get in--the younger folk at CMU don't seem too familiar with Nilsson's work.

      At IJCAI this year, I was on the WUSTL team competing in the Robot Challenge. In homage to Shakey, we had our robot, Lewis, play "Take Five" for background music, as this is the background music in the Shakey video*. CMU also sent a large contingent to participate in the Robot Challenge. Not a one of their students got the joke. Even after being told it was a reference to Shakey, I don't think anybody from CMU gave us anything other than blank looks. Some of the other people on the Grace team got it, but none of the CMU'ers. Well, at least not anybody getting their hands dirty--I believe Dani Goldberg got it.

      But yes, Shakey is certainly deserving to be in the hall of fame. A lot of great achievements in robotics were realized in Shakey--he was fully autonomous, capable of rather complicated planning, and did navigation by visual landmarks. Of course, he had to think for 15 to 20 minutes between actions, hence "Take Five", but this was the late 60's. No fancy on-board computers, laser rangefinders, or probabilistic methods, but duplicating Shakey's performance from scratch is a signifigent piece of work even today.

      * I believe this is the same video. My internet connection is too slow to verify, but I've never heard of another Shakey video

  10. what about.. by laurent420 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    lieutenant commander data?

    1. Re:what about.. by DAldredge · · Score: 1

      Which one?

      The one that is alive 20 years in the future at the end of ST:TNG or the one that dies in the last ST:TNG movie?

    2. Re:what about.. by Galvatron · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Isn't there some bit where he denies being a robot, calling himself an android instead? Anyway, Data being an android was just the excuse to slip a Spock-alike into TNG. Not that I'm complaining, I liked the show, and I liked the character, but Data has no more to do with robotics than I. R2D2 felt more like a tool, was mass produced in the fictional universe (unlike Data, who had a very bizarre origin story, and an "evil twin"), and was generally more believable, I think.

      --
      "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
    3. Re:what about.. by NanoGator · · Score: 0

      " but Data has no more to do with robotics than I"

      What?

      Okay, I'm going to expose my nerdy side here. A few eps spring into mind that seem to fly in the face of your comment here:

      - Data went to court to dispute that he was 'property' of Starfleet. As part of the case made against him, they removed his arm and turned him off.

      - When he was thrown into the past via a time portal thingamabob, his head was left in San Fran for 500 years, thus saving the future yadda yadda yadda.

      - Data's emotions chip made for interesting scenes in both the first and second TNG movie.

      - Data's androidness was a factor in the 3rd TNG movie as well. It's what sparked the problem with the Son'A race.

      - In the last TNG movie, dare I point to his brother B-4? His roboticness is what made the ending open for a rather interesting sequal.

      - I recently saw an episode where Data was lost on a pre-warp planet with some radioactive material, and no memory of who he was. His 'death' in that episode was a lucky event that prevented the prime directive from being violated.

      - Data's head was hooked into the Enterprise once in order to take over as the ship's computer. A glitch ocurred where some of his personality infected the computer, causing replicates to generate cat-food and duplicates of himself on the Holodeck. (Poor Worf...)

      I could keep going but I think my point is more than clear. He may have been thrown in initially to fill the Spock role, but he evolved in a very different direction from our favorite pointy eared Vulcan.

      He had no more to do with robotics than you? Have you removed your arm to prove you're not machine?

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    4. Re:what about.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
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      THEN TRY TO FIND
       THE METAL GEAR.

      USE FREQUENCY 12085


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      WITH ME.
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    5. Re:what about.. by LeoDV · · Score: 1

      This is true of many origins of ST characters... Spock existed only because producers of the show didn't feel a woman being first officer was believable, even in the 23rd century (I'm talking about the first pilot).

      On TNG, Gene put Worf there simply to prove the point that yesterday's enemies can be today's allies, and also to have "guy with elaborate makeup" (I read that in one of the books about the shows) on the bridge. Tasha was the more important character, but then she died and Worf grew into one of the most complex and interesting characters of the ST universe.

      So sure, Data started out as a measly Spock-equivalent, because apparently no Starfleet facility is without one (Odo, Tuvok), but he grew in a fascinating character, probably my (and many others') favourite of the series.

    6. Re:what about.. by Galvatron · · Score: 1
      This is a lot of the stuff I'm talking about.

      - When he was thrown into the past via a time portal thingamabob, his head was left in San Fran for 500 years, thus saving the future yadda yadda yadda.

      So having your head stay alive for a long time indicates that you are a robot? Most robots today, if left alone in a cave for 400 years, would probably rust away to nothing.

      - Data's emotions chip made for interesting scenes in both the first and second TNG movie.

      Again, my point isn't that he's not a good or interesting character, but the whole emotions issue had more to do with the previous success of Spock than because it's believable to assume that AIs will not have emotions.

      - I recently saw an episode where Data was lost on a pre-warp planet with some radioactive material, and no memory of who he was. His 'death' in that episode was a lucky event that prevented the prime directive from being violated.

      Most computers, if their memory is erased, are incapable of doing anything. How could Data lose his memories but not his programming? It sounds more like conventional amnesia than anything specific to androids.

      - Data's head was hooked into the Enterprise once in order to take over as the ship's computer. A glitch ocurred where some of his personality infected the computer, causing replicates to generate cat-food and duplicates of himself on the Holodeck. (Poor Worf...)

      Right, because any two computers are compatible, especially a custom designed android and a state of the art military/exploration vessel (and let's not even get started on the old malfunctioning holodeck issue)...

      I'll grant you, to an extent, the court case. It still has a lot to do with the bizarreness of his origin, though. Most robots will likely be programmed to enjoy serving humans, and so the issue will not come up. That's one reason I consider the Droids in Star Wars somewhat more believable, there was never any soul searching about what they were, they were just tools. They clearly had some feelings, but they also accepted without question that they were property, and could have their programming altered or erased at their owner's whim.

      I've repressed all memory of the 9th movie (Worst Trek Ever, along with 5), so I don't really remember what happened there. Was it just that he was a machine, and they don't like machines? Discrimination is nothing new, they could have just as easily given the people a hatred of Klingons, or whatever. And I didn't even see the 4th movie, so I can't really talk about that.

      The point is not that the plot ignored Data being an android. The point is that he is not a realistic depiction of how robots would evolve, or how they would act. It's like those elevators that speak in a "robotic" monotone, because that's how people expect machines to talk. Data behaved how people expect robots to act (no emotions, for example), and had little to do with how they might actually behave.

      --
      "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
    7. Re:what about.. by Galvatron · · Score: 1
      I quite agree, I loved Data. You've nailed most of it, the characters ae meant to fulfill certain roles. After all, Gene's original intent for Star Trek was to make a show like Gulliver's Travels, where he could deal with moral issues without being told his plots are to deep, or will make the audience uncomfortable. Data is a useful tool to accomplish that goal, and making him a realistic android would be an impediment, just as trying to have realistic aliens would be an impediment. The half black/half white faced people, for example, I can say for certain right now, do not exist anywhere in the universe. But they were good for dealing with racism on the original series.

      Also, another reason Spock was promoted to second in command is that the producers didn't feel that the fact that Gene was having an affair with Majel Barret was enough of a reason to give her a leading role. Let's face it, her acting is a not exactly top notch (though she does make a good ship's computer).

      --
      "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
    8. Re:what about.. by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      The one that is alive 20 years in the future at the end of ST:TNG or the one that dies in the last ST:TNG movie?

      Always in motion, the future is. Oops wrong series.

      So when the Borg time traveled in First Contact, the timeline forked, changing anything that happened previously in the future (English needs new tenses). So if you enjoyed TOS, TNG, DS9, or, god, even Voyager, feel free to turn off Enterprise - it's a different universe. This also explains the problems with the last two TNG movies.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    9. Re:what about.. by NanoGator · · Score: 1

      Oh boy. Guess I gotta put my nerd hat back on. :D

      "So having your head stay alive for a long time indicates that you are a robot? "

      No. Being a robot means your head can be deactivated and reactivated. Robots can be turned on and off.

      "Most robots today, if left alone in a cave for 400 years, would probably rust away to nothing."

      Two important key words here: most and today.

      "Again, my point isn't that he's not a good or interesting character, but the whole emotions issue had more to do with the previous success of Spock than because it's believable to assume that AIs will not have emotions."

      Not exactly. I agree with you that Data was originally created to be a Spock'ish character. However, his emotions or lack of is not so easy to compare to Spock's. Spock's emotions were present, but heavily supressed. Data's emotions were non-existent and trying to grow. These are opposite ends of the spectrum here. Oversimplifying a bit here, Spock found human behaviour illogical. Data found it intriguing.

      "Most computers, if their memory is erased, are incapable of doing anything. How could Data lose his memories but not his programming? It sounds more like conventional amnesia than anything specific to androids."

      Very good point! Before I go any further here, I want to let you know I appreciate having an intelligent discussion with you here.

      Interesting thing happened when I got to work this morning. Last night, my PocketPC froze to the point it wouldn't boot. I pulled the battery out to let the memory die. This morning when I came in, I put the battery back in, and the OS reloaded and everything started fresh. None of the data I put in there survived, but the machine came right back up ready to do work. This is very similar to what happened to Data. His main memory was blocked, but his basic operating stuff was still on-line, just like my PocketPC.

      Something to consider about sufferers of amnesia: doctors can't flip a switch and turn that memory back on. It was as simple as that with Data. They reconnected some pathways and BOOM he was Data again.

      "Right, because any two computers are compatible, especially a custom designed android and a state of the art military/exploration vessel (and let's not even get started on the old malfunctioning holodeck issue)..."

      Well hold on a sec. Data's got a very powerful brain capable of learning. It's not surprising at all that he could generate the right data stream to the main computer to cause things to happen. Couple that with help from the Chief Engineer, and suddenly it's not so startling.

      As for the holodeck, I agree here, that was a bit strange. Lately though, it's not so bad. When you've played Quake with a Tazmanian Devil skin, the concept of Data replicating around the holodeck all that surprising.

      "They clearly had some feelings, but they also accepted without question that they were property, and could have their programming altered or erased at their owner's whim."

      Would it be fair for me to say "You don't want Data here because he aspires to be human."?

      "Was it just that he was a machine, and they don't like machines?"

      Heh I liked that movie. It's easier to enjoy when you see it as a comedy. ;) My memory's a bit fuzzy on it, though. It's not that they hated him. If I remember correctly, Data witnessed something that got him in trouble with the Son'A. They shot him with a phaser'esque weapon and it messed him up. Something about the damage caused him to revert to a simpler mode, running entirely on 'ethics'. Sort of like booting into Safe Mode.

      "Data behaved how people expect robots to act (no emotions, for example), and had little to do with how they might actually behave."

      Why does Data have to represent the generic view of robots? He is a unique creation with a unique goal. I don't think it's unbelievable at all that somebody, some day, would build a robot with the goal of being human.

      I have to ask: How do you feel about Johnny 5? If you feel differently about him than Data, then why? I'm just trying to understand your view a little more clearly.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    10. Re:what about.. by Galvatron · · Score: 1
      How do you feel about Johnny 5?

      I feel about the same, that Johnny 5 and Data were both well crafted characters who created interesting situations. But the validity of the character is somewhat different I think from how well it typefies the notion of "robot." Both of their stories were about how they didn't have a real place in their world, or about how they were trying to become more human. A canidate for "best fictional robot" shouldn't be trying to move beyond what it was created for, it should be comfortable with being a robot. R2D2 is a good choice I think, for a number of reasons: R2 challenges the common assumption that robots ought to have humanoid form factors, it operates entirely within design parameters (no bolt of lightening like 5, for example), it has a utilitarian purpose ("astromech droid"), and so forth. I'm not putting down Data, I just think that CMU's choice was appropriate given the focus of the hall of fame.

      I'm not sure I agree with the choice of HAL9000, however. HAL is really more of a computer than a robot. The robot, in that case, would really be the whole spaceship. The fact that I can't even remember the name of the ship suggests that HAL would really be a better canidate for the Artificial Intelligence hall of fame, rather than the Robot hall of fame.

      --
      "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
  11. This guy needs to be inducted... by rolocroz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Marvin the Paranoid Android. Brain the size of a planet...

    --

    I meta-mod all positive moderation Unfair, because it's abuse of the system.

    1. Re:This guy needs to be inducted... by EnormousTooth · · Score: 1

      And griiper arms! You gotta have gripper arms!

      --
      I don't use Emacs; it uses me.
  12. where is that two-tub rectangle of joy? by mightybricklayer · · Score: 1

    GONK.

    1. Re:where is that two-tub rectangle of joy? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes let's nominate a robot that looks even more like a trash can than R2D2.

  13. My vote... by MoeMoe · · Score: 1

    You also have the chance to nominate other robots.

    Bill Gates anyone? Where would the Borg be without him?

    --
    Business \Busi"ness\, n.;
    A scam in which all people involved perceive as beneficial...
  14. My nomination by Evil+Adrian · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Vicky from Small Wonder.

    --
    evil adrian
    1. Re:My nomination by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The real question is, if someone improperly touched V.I.C.I. would it be considered molestation?

  15. Logical choice... by MoeMoe · · Score: 2, Funny

    You also have the chance to nominate other robots.

    What about Dick Clark? Can you explain why that guy doesn't age after over a century of "A Dick Clark Rockin' New Years Bash"?

    --
    Business \Busi"ness\, n.;
    A scam in which all people involved perceive as beneficial...
    1. Re:Logical choice... by Exatron · · Score: 1

      Two words: cryogenic stasis. Every year they thaw him out for the new years bash and stick him back in the freezer when they're done.

      --
      "I think so, Brain, but 'instant karma' always gets so lumpy." - Pinky
      "Decepticons FOREVER!!!" - Ravage
  16. Obligatory Marvin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The brain the size of the Universe and no nomination?

  17. Don't Forget the Inventor of the Internet by PedsDoc · · Score: 0

    ... Al Gore.

  18. I got a nominee... by meta-monkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    I used to work at the Machine Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Florida. Back the mid '90s we developed a couple of robots that would wander around, avoiding walls and the like, and when their battery power got low, they would seek out a charging station we set up. Well, one of the robots had stronger motors on its wheels than the other. The smaller robot was on the charger, but the bigger robot pushed it off because it needed to charge. The smaller robot was too puny to retaliate, and its batteries ran out. This may well be the first documented case of robot murder. I nominate Grazer, the bigger robot, for induction as the first ever robot murderer!

    --
    We don't have a state-run media we have a media-run state.
    1. Re:I got a nominee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It wasn't murder, but it sure as hell was a Robot Rights (RR) violation, depriving a fellow robot of food like that!

    2. Re:I got a nominee... by Oscar_Wilde · · Score: 4, Funny

      The big robot didn't murder the small one, you've got it all wrong. The charging station was liberated!

    3. Re:I got a nominee... by jayrtfm · · Score: 4, Interesting

      actually, a Kawasaki factory robot deserves that dishonor.
      In 1981 it killed its operator, Kenji Urada.

    4. Re:I got a nominee... by Galvatron · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but it's expected that robots are constantly striving to kill their creators (see: Bender, Red Robot, the Terminators, HAL 9000, etc.). A robocide, on the other hand, well that's noteworthy!

      --
      "The question of whether a computer can think is no more interesting than that of whether a submarine can swim" -EWD
    5. Re:I got a nominee... by dimator · · Score: 1

      That, sir, was both relevant and hilarious.

      --
      python -c "x='python -c %sx=%s; print x%%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))%s'; print x%(chr(34),repr(x),chr(34))"
    6. Re:I got a nominee... by popeyethesailor · · Score: 1

      and empowered ;)

    7. Re:I got a nominee... by Jebediah21 · · Score: 1

      Grazer... sounds like the perfect name for a techmetal band \m/

      You should get the story of Grazer up someplace like everything2.

      --

      Everytime you look at porn a devil gets their horns.
    8. Re:I got a nominee... by JPelorat · · Score: 0

      Actually, it was a cheap shot based on a faulty political premise, neither of which are relevant to this topic of robots, but thanks for playing.

      --
      Hokey statistics and ancient misconceptions are no match for a good thought in your head, kid!
    9. Re:I got a nominee... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ah, but who got the mod points?

      Yeah, I thought so.

  19. I nominate Susan Calvin.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...as the first human inductee.

    Tell me you don't love her, too.

    Maybe Karel Capek, for coining the term 'robot'.

    Or Isaac Asimov for coining the term 'robotics'.

    But definitely Susan Calvin, famed robopsychologist for US Robotics.

  20. Case it be dotted by DearAbbyTroll · · Score: 0

    Robots dat rock, dig dis: Foe robots fum ficshun and da damn real wo'ld is bein' inducted into Carnegie Mellon University's Robot Hall uh Fame tonight as de inaugural hono'ees. De selecshuns is as legendary in robotics as Babe Rud uh de Yankees and Roy Hobbs uh "De Natural" is in baseball, dig dis: Sojourner, dig dis: It wuz only about da damn size uh a microwave oven, but da damn Mars Padfinda' rova' made some planet-sized dojigger fo' itself back in 1997 when it sent back pictures fum de Red Planet. Man! "Fo' de fust time, some dinkin' robot equipped wid sophisticated lasa' eyes and automated honky codemin' reacted t'unplanned events on de surface uh anoda' planet," de Hall uh Fame says in its citashun. Unimate, dig dis: De two-ton GM assembly-line robotic arm, conceived in 1956 and fust put t'wo'k in 1961, be considered da damn wo'ld's fust industrial robot. Man! It dun did weldin' wo'k on kick d' cud castin's, markin' some milestone in de automashun uh similarly repetitive, unpleasant tax's. "Unimate be a blue-collar robot dat gots earned its place in histo'y," de citashun eyeballs. R2-D2: Dis ficshunal characta' is arguably de unsung star uh de "Star Wars" show -- an automaton who bails out da damn movie epic's harried humans mo'e dan once, chirpin' and beepin' its way into our hearts. "He duz not try t'imitate humans o' compete wid dem. WORD! He's all robot! Right on!" jury moderato' James Mo'ris says in de citashun. HAL 9000: If R2-D2 seemed mos' humanly warm and fuzzy, HAL 9000 wuz cold, calculatin' and not afraid t'violate da damn Laws uh Robotics in "2001: A Space Odyssey. Slap mah fro!" In de process, he became one uh de best-knode symbols uh technology run amok. Ya' know? "HAL gots had some lastin' effect not only on ficshun, but also on de real wo'ld," de citashun says. De hono'ees wuz selected by some human jury dat included "2001" audo' Buckwheat C. Clarke, "Sims" sage Gots'ta Wright and oda' luminaries uh de robo-sim wo'ld. Carnegie Mellon be solicitin' nominees fo' future Hall uh Fame considerashun. Scientific robots is judged on de basis uh skill and utility, entertainment robots gots'ta be funcshunin' autonomous devices dat gots achieved some significant audience, and ficshunal robots should be wo'ld-famous characters dat gots helped fo'med our opinions about da damn funcshun and value uh all robots. "Our goal be to create some puh'manent, interactive 'eshibishun involvin' robots dat gots'ta educate and entertain some wide variety uh audiences," Mo'ris, who be dean uh Carnegie Mellon's Farm uh Clunker Science, said in some written statement. Man! De next batch uh hono'ees gots'ta be announced in Octoba' 2004. But in de meantime, I'm curious which robots ya''d consida' wo'dy uh recognishun. Send in yo' suggesshuns and I'll pass along de top picks. Fo' mo'e about da damn decades-long march uh de robots, check out our online time line.

  21. Qualifications? by damiena · · Score: 1

    I would like to point out that 1/2 of the inductees have never existed as real robots, and also that at least 1/4 are actually midgets in a trashcan.

    1. Re:Qualifications? by geekoid · · Score: 1

      I would like to point ut that is is for both actual robots, and science fiction robots. TWO catagories.
      There is a reason for havind a science fiction section, but if you can't be bothered to read the FAQ, then I can't be bother to post it.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Qualifications? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lighten up, "midget in a trash can" is funny.

  22. Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by prolix2012 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm a little suprised that the robot from Lang's Metropolis didn't get a nod, guess that whole "introduced the term 'robot into the lexicon" thing just doesn't go as far as it used to.

    1. Re:Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by Ignis+Flatus · · Score: 1

      And anyone with a heart would include Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz.

    2. Re:Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by nels_tomlinson · · Score: 1
      I'm a little suprised that the robot from Lang's Metropolis didn't get a nod, guess that whole "introduced the term 'robot into the lexicon" thing just doesn't go as far as it used to.

      Actually, that was done by Karl Capek, a Czechoslovak Science Fiction writer, in the story RUR Rossum's Universal Robots, in 1920. It seems that ``robot'' was Czech for ``worker'', and Capek gave it its curent meaning.

      --
      See what I've been reading.
    3. Re:Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by escowles · · Score: 1

      Sorry, Capek's RUR (Rossum's Universal Robots) is the play that introduced the word robot, in 1920 -- seven years before Metropolis was produced.

      -esme

    4. Re:Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by hughk · · Score: 1

      The actual word for worker is Robotnik and the word work is Robot. In Russian the 'o' becomes more like an 'a', so it is Rabat.

      --
      See my journal, I write things there
    5. Re:Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by varjag · · Score: 1

      In Russian the 'o' becomes more like an 'a', so it is Rabat.

      No, phonetically it's somewhere in between 'robot' and 'robat'. This is because Robot is an adopted word (it wasn't formed from 'rabota', the Russian for 'work').

      --
      Lisp is the Tengwar of programming languages.
    6. Re:Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the word came to existence when Karel Capek (journalist and writer) asked his brother Josef (painter and writer) how to call these artifical human-like creatures in his novel. He replied 'call them robots'. So they say. I would add that in Czech there is word robota which means to work for nobles, landlords in the middle ages. The noun is robotovat and obviously is close to other slavic languages.

    7. Re:Hey, anyone ever seen Metropolis? by hughk · · Score: 1

      Sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that the word was derived from the Russian, but as both are Slavic languages they share similar roots. Enough certainly for Russians to understand some Czech and vice versa.

      --
      See my journal, I write things there
  23. R.O.B by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i nominated the NES ROB unit. that little guy was very inspirational to me in the fact that it taught me how to pick up things from one location and replace them in another. without ROB i would have never been able to do many things in my life including: going to the bathroom, find matching socks (i'm still working on this), or figure out how to use a mouse pad.

    it also taught me how to play gyromite in a way, or rather it kind of just watched me as i played it.

    obviously it doesn't have the recognition it deserves having died before being born. i hope the robot hall of fame can bring people to realize what a great robot ROB was.

  24. Forbidden Planet Robot and Lost in Space robot ! by zymano · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Favorite Movie robots.

    Robby the robot.

    Lost in Space robot

    Don't any of you say the MUFFIT from Battle Star Galactica !!! Geeeeeezuz.

    Twiki from Buck Rogers ......"Buck , Get down...bity .bity."

    The funkiest robot. The woman in that show....big crush !

  25. Why not... by Nasarius · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    United States

    2,1,6,4,5,3

    --
    LOAD "SIG",8,1
  26. Metal Mickey gets my vote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't know if this was bad enough to make it to the USA, but the UK and Australia were lucky enough to see Metal Mickey on a regular basis during the early 80's.

    Picture

    I think the viewer comment here says it best.

    "Quite simply, this show sucked the big one. Hard."

    "As for Metal Mickey, it's the sort of show that, if you had a choice between being set on fire and watching the show, you'd ask for extra petrol. It's that bad."

    (cue music)

    Ready, Steady are you set?
    For Metal Mickey,
    He's the cutest robot yet, Metal Mickey.

    He's a lot of fun, (fun)
    He weighs a half a ton, (I weigh a half a ton)
    He'll be your number one, (I'll be your number one)
    But look out, look out!

    Electronic Pile, (an electronic pile)
    With a silicon smile, (with a silicon smile)
    He's got a lot of style, (I've got a lot of style)
    So look out, look out!

    Ready, Steady, are you set?
    For Metal Mickey, (boo-boo bee doo)
    He's the cutest robot yet, Metal Mickey.

    He's a lot of fun, (I'm alot of fun)
    He weighs a half a ton, (I weigh a half a ton)
    He'll be your number one, (I'll be your number one)
    So look out, look out!

    (guitar solo)

    So look out, look out!

    Ready, Steady are you set?
    For Metal Mickey,
    He's the cutest robot yet, Metal Mickey.

    He's a lot of fun, (fun)
    He weighs a half a ton, (I weigh a half a ton)
    He'll be your number one, (I'll be your number one)
    But look out, look out!

    He's Metal Mickey!

    1. Re:Metal Mickey gets my vote by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh god damn you, I think I'd finally managed to erase all memories of that show, pasting them over with extra copies of Degrassi and Press Gang. And then, this! Arrrgh.

  27. New /. poll! by xanthines-R-yummy · · Score: 1
    I say we start a campaign to pick one of the next inductees. Say... the winner of the next Slashdot Poll:

    Which robot should be the next Robot Hall of Fame Inductee?

    If there was ever a need for a CowboyNeal Option in a poll...

  28. How can we forget... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    The daleks! Come on Doctor Who fans! I haven't watched enough Doctor Who to comment on it, but I think a Dalek could bust up R2D2 any day with that fearful plung^H^H^H^H^H laser of destruction!

    1. Re:How can we forget... by Trejkaz · · Score: 1

      Actually Daleks aren't even robots in the show, they're weird, savage squishy things inside a tin can.

      --
      Karma: It's all a bunch of tree-huggin' hippy crap!
  29. Maria by geekoid · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Maria is from Fritz Lang's Metropolis. 1927. Perhaps the first robot ever put on film.

    http://www.jeffbots.com/maria.html

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  30. Asimo by Saeger · · Score: 3, Interesting
    I was going to nominate Asimo, but their FormMail script seems to be broken ATM.

    Asimo is one of the first bipedal walking robots that really scared the crap out of a lot of people. How many generations of advancing tech before their bodies and AI are up to snuff for jobs like: construction work, plumbing, McJob customer service, worldcup soccer, sucky-fucky, ... world domination? :)

    --

    --
    Power to the Peaceful
    1. Re:Asimo by bytesmythe · · Score: 1
      How many generations of advancing tech before their bodies and AI are up to snuff for jobs

      I read that as "...AI are up for snuff jobs".
      Just wait 'til all the hitmen are robots! The Mafia won't have to worry about their members getting busted for murder anymore! The hard part will be getting the robots to tie the people up BEFORE putting the concrete boots on and throwing them in the water. Perhaps we'll have robots with frickin' lasers on their heads. That would be easier, anyway. If a robot did it, who cares if they find the body or not?

      --
      bytesmythe
      Hypocrisy is the resin that holds the plywood of society together.
      -- Scott Meyer
    2. Re:Asimo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I like to rip the head off my robot sexslave and ride around on her back before we have sex. Who am I?

    3. Re:Asimo by burns210 · · Score: 1

      how many generations? in human terms, or tech terms? right now, ASIMO is operated BY A REMOTE CONTROL... how long before it can control itself, at a resonable speed? Who knows. a decade sounds good though.

    4. Re:Asimo by SpinyNorman · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's only Asimo's "modes" and cutesy audience interactions that are directed by remote control. His most impressive feat - walking up and down stairs (and walking at all for that matter)- is something that he does automomously.

    5. Re:Asimo by DoraLives · · Score: 1
      Just wait 'til all the hitmen are robots!

      It's already in work. There's folks out there with the money and desire to make it happen.

      This thing is coming and when it gets here it's not gonna be too funny.

      --
      Is it fascism yet?
  31. R2D2? by toupsie · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Wouldn't R2D2 be considered a puppet more than a robot?

    --
    Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.
  32. When you say "robot' I instantly think of. . . by kfg · · Score: 1

    Jenkins, from Clifford Simak's "City" stories.

    To me he'll always be The robot.

    In terms of movie robots Robbie and B-9 (Lost in Space) were international stars when Lucas was still a child. If I were them I'd be a bit pissed at R2-D2 making it before them ( and I figure C-3PO is a bit jealous)

    There's also Gort from The Day the Earth Stood Still.

    The problem with new "Hall of Fame"s is that they tend to forget the true pioneers in favor of the current stars.

    If I had to nominate a new real robot to a hall of fame though it would have to be that experimental AI robot that tried to run away last year and made it as far as the end of the parking lot.

    The very first individual quest for robotic freedom. Someday you'll tell your grandkids you were alive when it happened.

    KFG

    1. Re:When you say "robot' I instantly think of. . . by Mark+of+THE+CITY · · Score: 1

      Gort? Not Klaatu?

      --
      The clearance system sounds logical. It is not. It is completely arbitrary. -- John Bolton
    2. Re:When you say "robot' I instantly think of. . . by kfg · · Score: 1

      Klaatu was an ALF. Gort was a "peace keeping" Robot.

      "Gort! Klaatu barada nikto."

      You have to say things like that to peace keepers about to destroy the earth.

      I now see his picture is featured on the nomination page, so at least he wasn't overlooked.

      KFG

    3. Re:When you say "robot' I instantly think of. . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      If I had to nominate a new real robot to a hall of fame though it would have to be that experimental AI robot that tried to run away last year and made it as far as the end of the parking lot.

      If you found that story interesting, you should check this out.

      http://www.seanbaby.com/news/ai.htm

    4. Re:When you say "robot' I instantly think of. . . by nuffle · · Score: 1

      By the way, if you're a Gort fan, like I am, make sure you read Harry Bates's short story 'Farewell to the Master' upon which the movie 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' was based. In the story, the robot was named 'Gnut' (I guess the movie people didn't want everyone asking "Why is the robot named Newt?"). It's a very clever short story, and Gnut is a pretty complex character.

      Someone has the story online.

      Also, speaking of 'Day the Earth Stood Still' there's a band from late 70's/early 80's named Klaatu, which I think has some of the best 'science fiction songs' ever written: Around the Universe in 80 Days, Little Nuetrino, Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft.

      Ok, I didn't realize until now that I'm a fanboy.

  33. Nomination: Hero 2000 by morcheeba · · Score: 2, Informative

    The Heathkit Hero 2000 cost as much as a Yugo, but available with an optional arm and wireless terminal, it got a lot of students into robots. I remember writing a simple wall-following algorithm that ran on real hardware -- a lot more complexity than with Karel The Robot.

    --
    HIV Crosses Species Barrier... into Muppets
  34. I for one nominate by turk182x2001 · · Score: 1

    Bender! Surprised no one had already... What is the world coming to when a drunk disorderly robot can't even get into the hall of fame..

    1. Re:I for one nominate by antdude · · Score: 1

      Ditto for Bender!

      --
      Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
  35. What definition of robot are they using? by breser · · Score: 2, Interesting

    They inducted HAL 9000 which doesn't really seem like much of a robot to me. I mean I guess it can control the functions of the ship. I just never really thought of HAL as a robot.

    1. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by geekoid · · Score: 2, Insightful

      HAL is the Brain that controls the ship functions. Automating things for the crew. performing labor. hence Robot.

      Is someone with only one arm less human?

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by breser · · Score: 1

      So is my car a robot because it can turn on the lights for me when it gets dark, lock my doors, maintain my speed, etc...

      I don't think we saw much labor form HAL. He moved some pods around, opened doors, played chess, killed the crew.

      Granted that HAL had a degree of intelligence that my car doesn't. But this isn't the AI Hall of Fame. It's the Robot Hall of Fame.

      There are of course a variety of definitions of the term robot. Some of which would include HAL, some which would exclude HAL. Nowhere that I can tell do they define the term. That was my question. It still remains unanswered.

    3. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by Chess_the_cat · · Score: 1
      Automating things for the crew. performing labor.

      That's got to be the vaguest definition of a robot ever. If a robot is something that automates a process or performs labor then a thermostat is a robot. So is a lawnmower, a dog, a midget, a car, the redial button on my phone and a deep fat fryer. I guess I'm a robot too.

      --
      Support the First Amendment. Read at -1
    4. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by geekoid · · Score: 1

      I would say those are robotic tasks. when your car can drive you around, then it would be a robot.

      take any robot and what is it? it is a controller with mechanisms. some of these mechanisms weld cars, some make sushi. all are controlled by a central unit.

      All thos definitions (except themindless human) fit HAL9000.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    5. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by geekoid · · Score: 1

      a lawnmower doesn't automate anything for you, your still mowing your lawn.

      a car doesn't do anything for you unless you directly control it. Talking about driving here.
      If you get in and say take me to the store, and then it drives its self there, then yes, its a robot.

      the redial would be a robotic function.

      the thermostat is a great example. I would consider it a robot of sorts. its a great example of how simple a robotic task can be. its a great reminder on haw robotics aren't future, there here. now, just in many forms. There just now becoming capable of performing complicated tasks cheap enough to be in the home.

      And the first thermostats where damn complicated and amazing pieces of tech, for the time.

      Would you condier the devices that weld cars robots? it takes input, does a repitive piece of work.

      robotics does not need to be complicated. and

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    6. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by kfg · · Score: 1

      A thermostat is already recognized as a small limited purpose robot, yes.

      When your lawnmower reacts to the enviroment and performs a task without your intervention then it too will be a kind of robot.

      If your dog is an Aibo than it's a robot. If it's a Yorkie you're just being silly. Twice.

      KFG

    7. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by breser · · Score: 1

      One could always argue that HAL wasn't a robot because he didn't do what he was told or programmed to do. :)

    8. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by xanadu-xtroot.com · · Score: 2, Funny

      when your car can drive you around

      Then you know your living in Soviet Russia...

      --
      I'm not a prophet or a stone-age man,
      I'm just a mortal with potential of a super man.
    9. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, as far as self-driving cars being robots go, consider for example the name Knight's Automatic Rolling Robot. See, it's a robot and they knew it back in the eighties! (Does anyone but me remember shit like that?)

    10. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      HAL9000 + SHIP is a robot. I.e. the whole ship is the robot, the HAL was the brain thereof.

      I was watching a stupid "artificial intelligence" show where they argued that HAL was unrealistic because MIT researchers had found you don't get very "intellgient" seeming behaviour out of machiens unless they are hooked up to their environment and capable of interacting with it it (which I agree with, incidentally), and HAL wasn't.

      But of course HAL WAS - his body was the frelling SPACESHIP. Viewed from that perspective, is it any wonder he was a little iffy about the humans - how would you feel if intestinal parasites started talking back cheekily??

    11. Re:What definition of robot are they using? by breser · · Score: 1

      It was Knight's Automated Roving Robot. Which was KARR, the evil version of KITT. KITT stood for Knight Industries Two Thousand.

  36. Don't tell me they weren't really robots: by bersl2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Cambot, Gypsy, Tom Servo, Crow

    That's like telling young children there's no Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, or Tooth Fairy, yet the monsters under the bed are still going to get them, all at the same time.

    1. Re:Don't tell me they weren't really robots: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Crow T. Robot: Puppet wranglers? There weren't any puppets in this movie.

      - Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Movie

  37. mod parent up by ArmorFiend · · Score: 1

    If I had the mod points, I'd give them to you. Data had no real robot characteristics, only human ones.

    1. Re:mod parent up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah he had no robotic characteristics at all. He didn't download his memory to another machine. He didn't have an off switch. He didn't have his personality overwritten by a dying cybernetic scientist. He didn't even exhibit super-human strength.

  38. I nominate American Airlines reservation system by civilengineer · · Score: 1

    They have a voice recognition system for getting you prepared with your call to an agent. This system is awesome. You can say stuff in your normal accent and the system recognizes it correctly with high success rate. I don't know if you can consider this system a 'robot' but hey, its automating routine tasks and its just not a mere program

    --

    New year Resolution: Don't change sig this year
  39. What about Rosie? by ekmo · · Score: 2, Interesting

    As long as fictional robots are being inducted, I'd like to nominate Rosie, the maid from the Jetsons.

    --

    | Ceci n'est pas une pipe.
  40. Categories by Hobobo · · Score: 1

    "the first honorary inductees, including R2D2 and Mars Pathfinder"

    That's ridiculous! They can't have fictional and real robots in the same category. This brings up the obvious question of what their criterion for selection are. It is doubtful that these criterion even exist; most likely they are simply selecting the most famous robots they know.

    1. Re:Categories by geekoid · · Score: 1

      my goodnes, you post as if you didn't go to the link and read the article. I find that hard to believe.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:Categories by Hobobo · · Score: 1

      Umm..the website says that they choose robots from both fiction and real life. Hence my objectiong. gg ok?

    3. Re:Categories by geekoid · · Score: 1

      "That's ridiculous! They can't have fictional and real robots in the same category. "

      each one is its own category. real and sci-fi. hence my overly snide reply.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    4. Re:Categories by mcguyver · · Score: 1

      There's room for improvement at the robot hall of fame website. First potential point of improvement, futher distinguish non-fiction from fiction. The website clearly misleads visitors by relying on fine print to make the distinction.

      BTW, I would like to nominate Johny 5...and how about Optimus Prime.

    5. Re:Categories by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As fiction or non-fiction?

    6. Re:Categories by Erasmus+Darwin · · Score: 0
      "They can't have fictional and real robots in the same category."

      They aren't in the same category. If you read the actual inductees page, you'll see that they've grouped the two real-world robots together, and they've grouped the two fictional robots together.

  41. I talked to Bender about that he said by geekoid · · Score: 4, Funny

    "I'm going to start my own Hall of Fame. With Hookers and Booze....forget the hall of fame."

    then he blew smoke in my face and said "CMU can Bite my shiney metal ass! loosers."

    I would go after him, but I seemed to have lost my wallet.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    1. Re:I talked to Bender about that he said by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Bite my shiney metal ass! loosers."

      Generally robots can spell correctly.

  42. Steel Town Tartans Survive Slashdotting by fugoo · · Score: 1

    Please Take Note:

    CMU doesn't mess around..

    IMHO, CMU is one of the most under appreciated contributors of key technologies that shape the world of the average slashdotter.. Everyone knows Berkeley and MIT's contributions, but CMU stands right alongside them..

    Red's Robots, Mach Kernel, Andrew, AFS, CERT, a surprisingly good drama school and many others..

    Go Tartans!

    1. Re:Steel Town Tartans Survive Slashdotting by YOU+LIKEWISE+FAIL+IT · · Score: 1
      Red's Robots, Mach Kernel, Andrew, AFS, CERT, a surprisingly good drama school and many others...

      More importantly, Forum 2000...

      Corey... my little pizza pie!

      YLFI
      --
      One god, one market, one truth, one consumer.
    2. Re:Steel Town Tartans Survive Slashdotting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Let's not forget Lycos...

      [/sarcasm]

  43. It's a bit sad... by trainsnpep · · Score: 1

    that two of the whole entire four robots in the hall of fame didn't have any functionality besides looking shiny (No you Star Wars fans, R2D2 cannot be considered to have done anything besides that)

    --
    --<Mike>--
    1. Re:It's a bit sad... by DoraLives · · Score: 1
      No you Star Wars fans, R2D2 cannot be considered to have done anything besides that

      Bullshit. Without that little tin can, them X-wing fighters were so much scrap metal.

      Delivering the message that sets up the whole fucking movie seems less than fully trivial, too.

      Better go back and have another look at the flick, eh?

      --
      Is it fascism yet?
  44. Al Gore? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do wooden robots count?

  45. I nominate... by WIAKywbfatw · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...Muffit. But only because you twisted my arm into doing so.

    --

    "Accept that some days you are the pigeon, and some days you are the statue." - David Brent, Wernham Hogg
  46. Lunokhod 1: Moon Robot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Lunohod

  47. Hey look everyone! by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 1

    It's those overlords you guys all keep talking about!

    --
    "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    1. Re:Hey look everyone! by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 1

      Oh, thank goodness! Because I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

      (I was set up! I swear!)

      --
      Like what I said? You might like my music
  48. Al Gore! by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Funny

    ILM did an awesome job with his animitronics.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
    1. Re:Al Gore! by syrinx · · Score: 1

      not to mention his algore-ithms.

      *rimshot*

      --
      Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
  49. Conky 2000! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://chaoskids.com/ROBOTS/CONKY/conky.html The ultimate robot. Probably kicks r2d2's butt any day. -e

  50. H2G2 by doublebackslash · · Score: 0

    Marvin

    --
    md5sum /boot/vmlinuz
    d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e /boot/vmlinuz
  51. Re: Hybrid III by Chagasi · · Score: 1

    I think Hybrid III, "Crash Test Dummy" should be nominated, seriously, because it is extremely complicated, sensor wise, and has probably done more to improve our safety than any other robot. http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/dummies.h tm

  52. If they are nominating fictional robots-- by mpn14tech · · Score: 1

    Daneel Olivaw from Issac Asmiovs Caves of Steel and in other Asimov books as well.

    1. Re:If they are nominating fictional robots-- by peterjhill2002 · · Score: 1

      Hell yeah... R. Daneel Olivaw should definitely get in there sometime. All of these movie and television robots have been mentioned... Hey, go read a book... ;-)

      It amazes me how I. Asimov was able to tie together so many of his series (so well IMHO). R. Daneel is perhaps one of his most important characters. I think Giskard should get some props to for the work he has done in fiction.

      He is the first robot I thought about for nomination.

  53. Twiggy anyone? by bogie · · Score: 1

    Since unfortunately they are adding in fake robots(kind retarded if you ask me) why not include Twiggy from Buck Rogers?

    Beedie Beeedie Beedie. Or something like that.

    btw I've seen a lot of references to him online as "tweeky", I'm pretty sure it was twiggy. Also feel free to nominate his evil master, that round see through head that hung on his neck. This of course being waaaay before rappers were hanging stupid clocks on their necks. Wouldn't clear plastic robot heads been much more dope?

    --
    If you wanna get rich, you know that payback is a bitch
    1. Re:Twiggy anyone? by TCQuad · · Score: 1

      It's TWIKI, not twiggy. You gotta be careful in this crowd. We take our obscure science fiction references very seriously.

  54. Re:I thought this would never happen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hehe what an interesting place for your comment on IE with pop up blocking to be sent to. Its like some cosmic kind of Freudian slip....

  55. SCO Lawyers by Lord+Zerrr · · Score: 1

    Do they count as robots?

    --
    "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." -Albert Einstein
    Karma? There's a serial modder out there.
    1. Re:SCO Lawyers by Soko · · Score: 1

      "Big fricken robot sharks with big frickin' lasers on thier heads..."

      Guess so.

      Soko

      --
      "Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm." - Anonymous
  56. I nominate... by vudufixit · · Score: 1

    Ash and Bishop from Alien and Aliens...

  57. If they can nominate Hal... by Anonvmous+Coward · · Score: 1

    ... then I nominate Holly.

  58. Santa Clause by Lord+Zerrr · · Score: 1

    I nominate Santa, he is really a robot.

    --
    "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." -Albert Einstein
    Karma? There's a serial modder out there.
  59. good robots by spongman · · Score: 1
    Fictional: R. Daneel Olivaw.

    Real: just about anything from the MIT Leg Lab.

    1. Re:good robots by Number14 · · Score: 1

      Yes!

      I went to the nominate a robot page immediately after hearing about this to nominate Daneel- how could they have a robot hall of fame and not include something from Asimov?

      Of course, I had the bad form problem on their site, but I'll get that submission in eventually.

  60. Perhaps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    if the robot builders and developers would have given the bots the ability to problem solve the two bots could have worked together to find a way to share the recharging station. But then if that happened it may be wise to shut them down. Skynet may have been the next thing on their agenda.

  61. Johnny Sokko's Flying Robot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    this robot is notable beacuse it chose to disobey its human controller and sacrifice itself to save the world.

  62. US Senate by Lord+Zerrr · · Score: 1

    I nominate the US Senate For the Robot Hall Of Fame. The MPAA and RIAA have outdone themselves creating these wondeful robots.

    --
    "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." -Albert Einstein
    Karma? There's a serial modder out there.
  63. What about Gilligan's Island by zoid.com · · Score: 1

    The robot on Gilligan's island was so advanced..

    MARY ANN
    Now you sweep like this...back and forth, back and forth.

    Mary Ann hands the broom to the robot.

    MARY ANN
    Sweep!
    Back and forth, back and forth.
    Ooo this is going to be fun!
    That's fine, that's fine!
    Now sweep the other way.
    The robot continues sweeping and is heading towards the hut wall. The robot doesn't respond to Mary Ann's voice commands.

    MARY ANN
    Well turn around!
    Well sweep the other way!!
    The robot continues in a straight line right through the hut wall and into the clearing outside.

    MARY ANN
    Oohh!!

    --
    Zoid.com
    1. Re:What about Gilligan's Island by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Dammit, I used to watch GI like mad, but don't remember a fricken robot, other than the Mars lander episode. Is this a gag, or was there really a robot episode?

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:What about Gilligan's Island by zoid.com · · Score: 1

      Yes there was a Robot episode.

      Episode #57, "Gilligan's Living Doll"
      (An experimental robot launched by the Air Force parachutes onto the island.)

      http://www.gilligansisle.com/scripts/script57.ht ml

      --
      Zoid.com
  64. [OT] Slashdot crashes Mozilla! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bring up Mozilla 1.4 for Linux. Scroll to the bottom of any Slashdot page. Something in the Einstein quote crashes it for me on two different machines with different Linux distributions.

  65. Obvious nomination? by denttford · · Score: 1

    What about Roomba - I think the first useful, mass produced robot - they even sell the thing at "Bed, Bath, and Beyond" here in New York - deserves a nomination for opening the mass market robotics realm.

    Too bad their formmail thing is broken.

    --

    Leben Sie jetzt die Fragen.
  66. Carnegie whasitcalled? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    IMHO, CMU is one of the most under appreciated contributors of key technologies that shape the world of the average slashdotter.. Everyone knows Berkeley and MIT's contributions, but CMU stands right alongside them..

    I'm sorry to say that three years ago, I never had heard of Carnegie-Mellon. Then I saw those "Scientific American Frontiers with Alan Alda" episodes showing some of the RoboCup entries, and I have subsequently learned a little bit more about CMU. People who have passed through the graduate school at CMU include James Gosling (the creator of Java), John Ousterhout (the creator of TCL), Charles Geschke (co-founder of Adobe), Vinod Khosla (co-founder of Sun Microsystems), Andreas Bechtolsheim (co-founder of Sun Microsystems). Ivan Sutherland (creator of the seminal Sketchpad) was an undergraduate alumnus, as was Ed Feigenbaum, a big researcher in Artifical Intelligence.

    Drama alumni include Ted Danson (the "Cheers" bartender), Holly Hunter (I'll remember her best for "Broadcast News", but she got the Oscar for another film), and Laura San Giacomo (the daughter on "Just Shoot Me", but I'll remember her best for "Sex, Lies, and Videotape"!)

    And then there's that guy, John Nash, who won that Noble-Prize-type-thing in economics (although it was called Carnegie Tech back in the day) portrayed in a "Beautfiul Mind".

    CMU needs to beat its chest a little louder.

  67. Paris Hilton Porno Freenet Key by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looking for the Paris Hilton porno tape? Look no further than Freenet.

    CHK@qGlSiCK3HPMx38fCuSPlo81ws2AMAwI,LRhfAE-DMDcs nr QhkXEiBw/parissexmovie_256k.wmv

    (Remove the spaces that Ashdotslay inserted into the key)

  68. My CMU conversation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I talked with a group of CMU students while on a visit...

    Me:"So, what do you guys do for fun"
    Then:"Oh we study, heh"
    Me:"Well, I know that part but, like on weeknds, what do you do for fun?"
    Them:"Yeah, we study a lot on weekends"
    Me:"Well what I mean is, do you guys go out to parties, or like, what goes on?"
    Them: Blank Stare
    Me:"Are there like, frat parties and all that stuff?"
    Them:"We umm, once saw Blues Travler"

    1. Re:My CMU conversation by BSarp · · Score: 1

      Sir, I hope you're joking. I went to CMU, and I can assure you that a good deal of partying went down on and around campus.

      Yes, there were a lot of people who just sat around studying, but don't let these types convince you that everybody from CMU is a total dork. (Yes, I'm posting on Slashdot, but anyway..)

    2. Re:My CMU conversation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I (sadly) am not joking. That conversation (along with the pocket shattering tuition) totally cured my enthuseasm for CMU. Now I know Pitt is a cool town, but as a fresh out of HS kid I had no idea of that. Also, a few years later i attended a function that included many CMU undergrads and I can tell you that each and every one of them that I encountered was a complete prick/bitch. Glad I went to a drinkin school with a football problem....

  69. Pusillanimous Pipsqueak by Vegigami · · Score: 1

    Definitely gets my vote.

    Maybe you had to be there to understand this one.

    --


    I can tell you the meaning of life,
    but you have to promise not to laugh.
  70. No! by DAldredge · · Score: 1

    Talkie! The Talking toster!

    Want some toast?

    1. Re:No! by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 1

      Why not just nominate Kryton? Next to the other guys, he actually turned out to be the smartest character on the show!

      --
      Like what I said? You might like my music
  71. Freenet sucks, use eDonkey by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    FreeNet sucks; get the Paris Hilton sex tape from eDonkey instead.

    Remember that she's underage in this video, so you'll go to hell if you take pleasure in viewing this video! Filthy sinners!

  72. Famous Robots in CMU history by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Karel J. Robot anyone?

    CS 15-100?

    is this thing on?....

    [/CMU joke]

  73. Kilroy! by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 1

    What about Kilroy? OH yeah, he wasn't a robot, with parts made in Japan. Secret secret, he's got a secret. Blah.

    What about the robots Kilroy impersonated in order to escape, reinvent rock music, and overthrow the totalitarian government?

    --
    Like what I said? You might like my music
  74. Automata by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What about automata, mechanical robots built from the 17th century onwards? If Asimo rates a nomination, surely some of its conceptual ancestors should be nominated too? Automata as real as R2D2 were fooling aristrocacy with their chess playing abilities, if I recall correctly.

    There's a good gallery of automata here.

  75. Re:Where is J5? by mog007 · · Score: 1

    Forget Johnny 5, where's Marvin, the paranoid android with a brain the size of a planet.

    --
    Learn something new.
  76. The REAL robot hall of fame by Animats · · Score: 3, Informative

    Here's the real robot hall of fame, the Computer History Museum's robot collection. Many of the famous ones are there, including the Hopkins Beast and Shakey. They used to be on public display in Boston, but now they're in Mountain View, California. The Computer History Museum now has a new building, and is gradually setting up exhibits. Tours are available.

  77. Gigantor by terremoto · · Score: 1

    Hundreds of posts already and no mention of Gigantor. That and the Robot from Lost in Space (Danger, Will Robinson!) are the top two from my 60s childhood. And, if they're going to class HAL as a robot, then what about the Daleks?

  78. Movie bots by mobby_6kl · · Score: 0

    What about the T800 and T1000 terminators? IIRC the most advanced(and cool-Arnie) robots in any movie.

  79. I nominate ODEX-1 by Degrees · · Score: 1
    Built by Odetics, a division of Gyyr, ODEX-1 was a real robot. So many of these nominations are for dreams of a robot, or media portrayal of one. ODEX-1 could climb stairs, crawl out of the back of a pickup truck, and then lift the back of the pickup truck off the ground (it put one arm under the trailer hitch.) It could also draw its legs up close so it could walk through narrow doorways.

    Odetics wanted to sell it to the US military as a guard robot - it never sleeps, and if someone shoots it, there isn't a telegram to be sent to the parents. Alas, it cost too much.

    --
    "The most sensible request of government we make is not, "Do something!" But "Quit it!"
    1. Re:I nominate ODEX-1 by cr0sh · · Score: 1
      Well - at least it got two nominations. I nominated it before I read the comments (also nominated SRI's Shakey, and the GE Hardiman suit - though technically not a robot). I have very little information on the ODEX-1.

      Last I heard, the prototype(s?) were sitting at the Smithsonian. I have articles from Popular Science, Popular Mechanics, and Omni that showed this robot off nicely. I remember seeing it working on That's Incredible (or the old Ripley's Believe It or Not). I tried to contact the company (at the time, they were working on an "intelligent highway" system), but they had no clue what I was talking about. From the information I have read, Odetics (and the ODEX-1) originally started out as a DARPA funded project for a robot soldier (in fact, that is what the Pop Mech article showed, a swarm of ODEX bots storming a battlefield, guns ablazin'!) - then, somewhere, it dissappeared or lost funding.

      Crazy thing was, they had the prototype fully working (at least, it walked rather well - the video I saw of it showed it climbing out of a pickup, and then "scrunching" itself down to navigate through a doorway, then spreading back out for full walking mode)!

      --
      Reason is the Path to God - Anon
    2. Re:I nominate ODEX-1 by Degrees · · Score: 1
      It sounds like you have more information on it than I. I learned about it because that factory I was working for made the circuit boards for it. (Technically, we made printed wiring boards - we didn't do components or soldering).

      So of course everyone in the factory (that liked high-tech stuff) thought it was cool, and kept an eye out for it in the news.

      Last I heard, (and this was several years ago) Odetics still had it in their corporate offices down in L.A. On special days, they let it roam the hallways, which was a kick for the employees. I suppose on one of those 'bring your kid to work' days, the kid would have the best story the next day at school. ;-)

      With it being in the Smithsonian; that is newer information than I have.

      FWIW, we were making boards for Gyyr, a division of Odetics. Last I looked, Odetics went through a number of mergers and acquisitions - so it doesn't suprise me that the people remaining don't have a clue as to what they had.

      One of the circuit boards we built had concentric rings of wide contacts (nickle plated) to make part of the robot capable of 360 degree movement. That is to say, instead a cable harness that restricts swivel to some maximum, the ring contacts permit 360, 720, 1000 degree, (infinite) spins if needed. I think this allowed the head to rotate independent of the legs/body.

      Now that I think about it, I think the order was for five circuit boards of each type. Of course, we built extras, in case a board got damaged in production. Gyyr probably built two or three prototypes, with the other boards going into the spare parts bin.

      The video of the thing walking and squatting and lifting sure was cool.

      --
      "The most sensible request of government we make is not, "Do something!" But "Quit it!"
  80. Benderrrrr! by Big+Nothing · · Score: 1

    I tried to nominate Bender Bending Rodriguez, but the mail form is broken. Anywho, for those of you who STILL haven't discovered this great bending unit, here are some facts:

    Bender (full name: Bender Bending Rodriguez) is a Unit 22 Bending Unit and was his mother's 1729th son born in a factory in Tijuana, Mexico. His father was killed by a can opener. Comprising of 30% Iron, 40% Zinc, 40% Titanium and 40% Dolomite, Bender later attended Bending State college where he majored in Bending and minored in Robo-American studies. He became a legend for his pranks while being part of the house Epsilon Rho Rho. Bender then took up a successful career in bending girders but tried to kill himself when he found out they were for suicide booths. He was saved by Fry and later took up the job of ships cook at Planet Express. His other pastimes include watching TV, smoking cigars and stealing. To be able to function properly Bender needs the chemical energy from alcohol, so excessive drinking is mandatory or he will become sober and unable to control his body. Magnets stuck to his head make him sing like a folk singer and his favourite drink is Olde Fortran Malt liquor.

    [Info shamelessly stolen from http://www.gotfuturama.com/Information/Encyc-8-Ben der/]

    Favourite quote:
    Bender: "Bite my shiny metal ass."
    Fry: "It doesn't look so shiny to me."
    Bender: "Shinier than yours, meatbag."

    Ahhh.... I think imna go watch a Futurama episode now.

    --
    SIG: TAKE OFF EVERY 'CAPTAIN'!!
  81. Small Wonder! by Richard+Allen · · Score: 0

    Vicki, the Small Wonder, wonderfully acted by Tiffany Brissette.
    The portrayal of that robot was ahead of it's time.

  82. Twiggy! Twiggy! Twiggy! by Craig3010 · · Score: 1

    Put the Twiggster in there

  83. eyecom0meter reports corepirate nazi bawl of shame by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    more like a rats' nest.

    from a previous mynuts won: where's the monIE? post:

    gnu millennium spells doom for stock markup frauds, aka corepirate nazis, aka the walking dead

    that's right. J. Public et AL has yet to become involved in open/honest 'net communications/commerce in a meaningful way. that's mostly due to the MiSinformation suppLIEd buy phonIE ?pr? ?firm?/stock markup FraUD execrable, etc...

    truth is, there's no better/more affordable/effective way that we know of, for J. to reach other J.'s &/or their respective markets.

    the recipe is:

    consult with/trust in yOUR creator. vote with yOUR wallet. more breathing. seek others of non-agressive intentions/behaviours. that's the spirit.

    use key words/indexing to identify yourself/your products.

    the overbullowned greed/fear based phonIE marketeers are self eliminating by their owned greed/fear/ego based evile MiSintentions. they must deny the existence of the power that is dissolving their ability to continue their self-centered evile behaviours.

    as the lights continue to come up, you'll see what we mean. meanwhile, there are plenty of challenges, not the least of which is the planet/population rescue (from the corepirate nazi/walking dead contingent) initiative.

    EVERYTHING is going to change, despite the lameNT of the evile wons. you can bet your .asp on that. as the lights continue to come up, there'll be no going back, & no where to hide.

    we weren't planted here to facilitate/perpetuate the excesses of a handful of Godless felons. you already know that? yOUR ONLY purpose here is to help one another. any other pretense is totally false.

    pay attention (to yOUR environment, for example). that's quite affordable, & leads to insights on preserving life as it should/could/will be again. everything's ALL about yOUR motives.

    take care, we're here for you.

  84. Nomination by garymcg · · Score: 2, Funny

    I nominate Al Gore, the robot that invented the internet!! Everyone thinks he dropped out of public life, but he's just resting until it's time to reemerge....as Skynet!!

    --
    --If 50,000 people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.
  85. Troll? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As the author of this post, I'll be the first to say that 2 out of the 3 mods that modded this post are F-ed up:

    1. It was never supposed to be +1, Informative.
    2. It isn't a troll.

    It is clearly satire. Whether you think it is funny or not is another story.

    1. Re:Troll? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If it's any comfort, I set my user prefs to give a +5 rating to troll mods. Some of them, yours included, are waaaaay funnier than the asinine crap that gets modded Funny out here.

  86. How about the RCBP by OneSmartFellow · · Score: 0

    www.1sn.com/1sterotic/Anal.html

  87. Robby by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    R2D2 doesn't deserve to be on the list. Robby the Robot or the Lost in Space Robot should have made it before R2D2.

    Maria from Metropolis should also be there.

  88. Roboceptionist? by Improv · · Score: 1

    I wonder if this is related to the roboceptionist
    booth they're building in Newell-Simon Hall, or if
    that's an unrelated project in robotics..
    For other CMUers who haven't seen the posters,
    some RI/Drama folks put this together:
    http://roboceptionist.com/

    --
    For every problem, there is at least one solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.
  89. Real robots... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://humanoid.fy.chalmers.se/

  90. This award is homophobic! by DulcetTone · · Score: 1

    Why else R2D2 but not C3PO?

    --
    tone
  91. Too bad the nominies by Riptide1884 · · Score: 1

    couldn't be present for the nomination party! Cant help myself...this is just the way I am!

    --
    mod me troll...for get me...not coming back
  92. How could you forget ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I put forth Cyberdyne Systems Models 101, 1000 and X

    And if you don't like it I'll be back ...

  93. Any one able to 'Nominate' ? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I tried nominating Daneel Olivaw (http://www.asimovonline.com), but got an error from formmail on submit. Heck ! I get the same error while trying to inform them of the same by hitting 'comment' button as well (tried IE/6 & Mozilla/1.4)

  94. Best Robot Ever! by Chill+E.+V. · · Score: 1

    How come nobody suggested Bender yet?

  95. I am using this in my electronics class. by mistert2 · · Score: 1

    I am going to discuss why they made this site with my electronics class. First I am going into what do the students think should be in the hall of fame, then I am going into who built the site and why. I have some students working independently on BEAM robots. I thought this might spur on an interest in battle bots. What does everyone think?

  96. "Danger Will Robinson, Danger!" by neilmjoh · · Score: 1

    Enough said.

  97. The Great Robot Emancipationist by SharkJumper · · Score: 1

    I nominate this guy

    SharkJumper

  98. GORT! by weeboo0104 · · Score: 1

    Klaatu, Barada, Nikto.

    --
    It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. -Frederick Douglass
  99. Robby the Robot will always be tops! by GeneralEmergency · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Robby the Robot from the 1956 classic 'Forbidden Planet' for no other reason than this line:

    "Pardon me. I was giving myself an oil-job."

    --
    "A microprocessor... is a terrible thing to waste." --
    GeneralEmergency
  100. Clarke: "HAL *was* the ship." by LouisvilleDebugger · · Score: 1

    Clarke treats of the computer/robot distinction in the novel, _2001: A Space Odyssey_. He points out that Hal, if metaphorically, "was the ship."

  101. I nominate that Nintendo robot ROB by skintigh2 · · Score: 1

    I always wanted that thing, but I settled for the dance pad that came with a gnarly olympics game.

  102. He's a robot, but he should have been left out. by Thag · · Score: 1

    I'd say that HAL was definitely a robot, but I also think HAL is a poor choice for inclusion in the hall of fame.

    HAL is the poster child for anthropomorphism in AI. That is not the message they should be sending, IMHO.

    I don't mind R2D2 as much, because he is basically functional and non-anthropomorphic in design.

    And don't get me started about Twikki... :)

    Jon Acheson

    --
    All opinions expressed herein are my own, and not those of my employers, who are appalled.
  103. me=troll by ArmorFiend · · Score: 1

    Yeah he had no robotic characteristics at all.
    So we agree.

    He didn't download his memory to another machine.
    Anyone can do this, not just a robot (see below)

    He didn't have an off switch.
    Everyone has an off switch, its called "the head", and you push the button with a knuckle sandwich.

    He didn't have his personality overwritten by a dying cybernetic scientist.
    So the human "downloaded his memory to another machine", eh?

    He didn't even exhibit super-human strength.
    So did worf and 10,000 other aliens-de-jour.

    1. Re:me=troll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lame troll.

  104. Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo ... by burgburgburg · · Score: 1

    are the only robots that truly matter. They worked tirelessly with first Joel Robinson and then Mike Nelson to watch really, really cheesy movies and comment on them in a hilarious manner. And the world is a better place for it.

  105. Here is why ... Re:What about the Asimo? by feelyoda · · Score: 1

    What can asimo do? Currently nothing. if he tries to walk forward, and you put a hand on him to stop, he will push forward harder. you let go, and he falls down.

    It's a mechanical marvel, but needs to do SOMETHING before you put him in the hall of fame (btw unimate was a mechanical wonder that started a whole industry of assembly automation)

    roomba - what can it do? Clean? Well, it's battery powered, with a few clever traversal algs. BUT, in the end, it isn't strong enough to do much of any deep cleaning for any extended amount of time. Their spin is that it is good for everyday cleaning. My spin is that it doesn't work.

    Make a robot that can use MY current (cheaper/stronger/more reliable) vacuum cleaner (perhaps an asimo that DOES something), and I will gladly nominate it in the hall of fame.

    --

    Robo-Blogs of the world: UNITE!
  106. Re:Ask Slashdot by Zeriel · · Score: 1

    Karma to burn... =P

    162543...but honestly, depending on a lot of subtleties, it's hard to tell.

    Examples:
    Someone really being shot on a news report vs. someone really being shot as part of some sort of "When Oppressive Governements ATTACK! next on Fox".
    It is entirely possible to show two people having sex with no skin but faces showing, if they're using blankets.
    Breasts for breastfeeding vs. breasts on a nude beach vs. breasts being touched sexually.

    Lots of grey areas in your initial poll question...you might want to refine it.

    --
    "America has done some terrible things. But I know that Americans don't cheer when innocents die." -Dave Barry
  107. GIR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What, nobody going to nominate GIR?

    "I'm going to sing the doom song now! Doom doom doom doom doom DOOOOM doomdooomdoom doom doom doom! Doomey Doomey Doom..."

  108. I nominate Troody. by Codifex+Maximus · · Score: 1

    I nominate Troody because of it's advanced body and leg designs which in future will give robots better mobility. Troody is a dinosaur-like bipedal robot currently controlled by wire.

    --
    Codifex Maximus ~ In search of... a shorter sig.
  109. What no Voyager? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Voyager1 and Voyager2 are probably the most sucessfull robots we have ever constructed! WTF!

  110. Re:Nominate A Robot - Don't forget Gigalo Jane! by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 1
    Gigalo Joe from the movie AI

    If you like Gigalo Joe (great Jude Law over-the-top performance), I found this story about Gigalo Jane. Remember her? All 1 line and 15 seconds they gave her in the movie? I wonder what was left on the cutting room floor.

    [Adult Content Warning]
    G. Jane
    [/Adult Content Warning]

    Why the warning? Hey, they are sex-bots.

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    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  111. Re:Logical choice...Alternate Explination by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 1
    What about Dick Clark? That guy doesn't age

    Portrait in the attic.

    --
    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  112. Sex-bots Anyone? by Nom+du+Keyboard · · Score: 1
    I'll actually take them seriously when they induct a robot made primarily for sexual purposes into their collection. After all, why do you think we will really build them?

    (Before you mod me down, remember that the success of the Betamax and the whole home VCR revolution and pre-recorded tape/sales was initially fueled by peope wanting to watch p0rn in the privacy of their own house. Sex sells. If robots ever go mainstream, it won't be because of people buying them to mow their lawns for them.)

    --
    "It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
  113. Isaac Asimov by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't forget R. Daneel Olivaw and R. Giskard Reventlov!

  114. My nominations by Chris+Tucker · · Score: 1

    As a US nominee:

    AF-709!

    Foreign Nominees:

    Tetsuwan Atom

    The Big O

    R. Dorothy Wainwright

    Why, yes, I am something of an anime geek.

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    Guaranteed! This comment 100% Anthrax free!
  115. Cornell Robocup by GrahamMastaFlash · · Score: 1

    Someobody nominate Robocup's soccer playing world champion robot from Cornell University.