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Robotic Baby Seal Wins Top Award
SilentOneNCW writes "The BBC has an article up about everyone's favourite creature — the robotic baby seal. This seal, called Paro, is fitted with sensors beneath its fur and whiskers that allow it to respond to petting. The idea is that by utilizing these sensors and flapping its arms, it can engage in therapy for older patients in nursing homes. It has won a service prize from the Japanese government sponsored Robot Awards 2006. The awards were set up earlier this year by the Japanese government to promote research and development in the robotics industry. Robots are widely used in Japan and are seen as a way to help deal with an aging population, maintaining the labour force and helping care for the elderly."
Or do regular clubs work?
The idea is that by utilizing these sensors and flapping its arms, it can engage in therapy for older patients in nursing homes.
That's a good start. Now how about a lap dance?
With Japan's growing elderly population, now they can interact with a baby harp seal as per usual.
The other robot in the article I can forsee stabbing stubborn old people in the face with a spoonful of peas, finally we have a viable alternative to passively torturing our old people, the game of "hide the dentures" was getting a bit boring.
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I hope I never grow old.
If they are condescending enough expect to stick me in some hole in the wall and pet a friggen robot doll, I'd tell them where they can shove it.
Well, unless they give me the source and a computer to hack it, then we may be able to talk. Throw in a deadly laser beam to stick on it's head and I just might wet myself.
The elderly are more likely to forget vital pet care (feeding, vet, etc.). That's why it's important to automate the pet.
Apology to Ubuntu forum.
No, these things will mostly be used by the manga/porn industry. They always have problems getting a tight seal.
"I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
Ok, I understand that some people want to pet a stuffed toy and pretend that it's a baby seal. I mean actually do this more than once.
Let's say that this applies to say, 1% of the population.
Ok, now you stick some robotics into your stuffed toy (they would have said "clockwork" a hundred years ago), does that really raise the percentage of people interested in petting the stuffed toy and pretending that it's a real seal?
I mean I like stuffed toys myself, but I can't imagine that putting machinery inside of one makes it better. Since you don't have to pretend that it's moving or anything, I think you're MORE likely to be thinking of it as just an object, in case you'll think of it as a machine rather than as a pillow.
I mean lets face it, the smartest computerized toy is no nearer to being a real seal than an ordinary doll is.
And isn't the whole premise awfully condescending and insulting? If you want to help old people get over loneliness, why are you foisting toys on them rather than say, time with a real human being, or a real pet?
More importantly, pets make a MESS. This is probably a deal-breaker for the seriously old and almost incapacitated with age.
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Warranty void if seal is broken.