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South Korea to Build Robot Theme Parks

coondoggie writes "South Korea officials today said they hope to build two robot theme parks for $1.6 billion by 2013. The parks will feature a number of attractions that let visitors interact with robots and test new products. "The two cities will be developed as meccas for the country's robot industry, while having amusement park areas, exhibition halls and stadiums where robots can compete in various events," the ministry said. The theme parks are not a big surprise because South Korea loves its robots. Earlier this year the government of South Korea said it was drawing up a code of ethics to prevent human abuse of robots — and vice versa."

125 comments

  1. oblig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    i for one welcome our fun loving robotic overlords!!

    1. Re:oblig by Propaganda13 · · Score: 3, Funny

      "The two cities will be developed as mechas for the country's robot industry, while having amusement park areas, exhibition halls and stadiums where robots can compete in various events," the ministry said.

      fixed the spelling error

    2. Re:oblig by gijoel · · Score: 2, Funny

      By my calculations the robots should turn on their human masters sometime in the next 24 hours.

      Oops, forgot to carry the decimal point.

    3. Re:oblig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What I want to know is, wether these Robots will be running Linux or not, because if they aren't, I'm not interested. I'll bet they all run some proprietary lock-in crap from Microsoft, DRM-ed up to the gills and bloated. Oh well, all the sheeple will love it, as long as theirs stuff to buy so they can be good little consumers, and theres plenty of shiny things to keep them distracted.

    4. Re:oblig by JustOK · · Score: 0, Redundant

      imagine a Beowulf cluster of theme parks

      --
      rewriting history since 2109
    5. Re:oblig by Fallen+Seraph · · Score: 1

      Errr, have you ever worked with robotics? A robot and an operating system are not the same thing. Robotics usually use microcontrollers which are preprogrammed in BASIC, or C, or some other language. Microsoft has nothing to do with anything, and neither does Linux for that matter, so stop trying to drag that argument into every conversation.

    6. Re:oblig by Mikkeles · · Score: 1

      Why would we even programme robots to want to go to a theme park?

      --
      Great minds think alike; fools seldom differ.
    7. Re:oblig by Tolkien · · Score: 1

      Whoosh!

    8. Re:oblig by jollyreaper · · Score: 1

      By my calculations the robots should turn on their human masters sometime in the next 24 hours. I'll put a $1000 on the table -- I bet the first message to appear in the control room when the bots take over "Hello Gentlemen. All your parks are belong to us."

      On the bright side, we may have finally found the team that can beat the South Koreans at Starcraft.
      --
      Kwisatz Haderach
      Sell the spice to CHOAM
      This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
    9. Re:oblig by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 1

      Do robots enjoy riding rollercoasters?

      --
      "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
      Never been known to fail..."
    10. Re:oblig by davidsyes · · Score: 1

      Kurom, Yoboseo-o, Sonsaengnim Roboto..

      --
      Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
    11. Re:oblig by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But the ministry is NOT in charge of Gundam! ;)

  2. So...Many...References... by KiraFace · · Score: 4, Funny

    Nothing can possibl-y go wrong.

    1. Re:So...Many...References... by crowbarsarefornerdyg · · Score: 3, Funny

      I quit when I found out what the girders were being used for. To build South Korean robot theme parks!

      --
      "Slapping lipstick on a pig does NOT make it Natalie Portman. Paris Hilton, maybe, but not Portman." - UncleTogie
    2. Re:So...Many...References... by Dorceon · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The Westworld poster had the original, which was, "Where nothing can possibly go worng..." with the letters of worng falling out of line.

      --
      What sound do people on rollercoasters make? Hint: it's not Xbox 360.
  3. Westworld by bluebucket77 · · Score: 1

    Whos going to get the first joke.

    1. Re:Westworld by ettlz · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yul be sorry.

    2. Re:Westworld by clickety6 · · Score: 1

      Eastworld in this case, surely!

      --
      ----------------------------------- My Other Sig Is Hilarious -----------------------------------
    3. Re:Westworld by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I guess Westworld never made it to Korea. They will just have to find out on their own. I wonder if the robots will respect the DMZ.

  4. Please, people! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    No flash photography.

    1. Re:Please, people! by buddhaunderthetree · · Score: 1

      Can you imagine what's happening at Euro-Itchy and Scratchy land?

      --
      "Technology.....the knack of so arranging the world that we don't have to experience it." Max Firsch
    2. Re:Please, people! by cadeon · · Score: 1

      You'll spook the bots.

  5. Robot Ethics? by cynicsreport · · Score: 5, Insightful
    From TFA:

    ...drawing up a code of ethics to prevent human abuse of robots-and vice versa.

    Is this a serious issue in South Korea? I am no robotics expert, but I did read a lot of Asimov, and I'm not sure we are quite to that point yet. What we currently call "machine intelligence" is not quite up to the intelligence level of a cockroach. It is more pattern matching and optimization than anything; not much room for ethical standards.
    --
    - Demosthenes
    cynicsreport.com
    1. Re:Robot Ethics? by comradeeroid · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm not sure we are quite to that point yet. What we currently call "machine intelligence" is not quite up to the intelligence level of a cockroach. There's no harm in being prepared.
      When our 22 feet cybernetic robot masters come I have my "Welcome" banner allready painted and prepared.
      --
      If you see a rock violating the law of gravity, then the law is wrong, not the rock!
    2. Re:Robot Ethics? by holywarrior21c · · Score: 2, Informative

      Korea to make robot abuse illegalhttp://ebiquity.umbc.edu/blogger/2007/03/07/South-Korea-to-make-robot-abuse-illegal//
      **The original charter draft** This page is in Korean. But i am sure you will find a way to the pdf file.
      First click on the http://cafe.naver.com/roboethics/
      click on the the text 'koreanrobotethicscharter070403.pdf' on the right side in the middle.

    3. Re:Robot Ethics? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe call it simulated intelligence, there is not going to come more out of the machine then what we programed into it. Besides do we really want a learning machine? There is a big disadvantage with a learning system, that is making mistakes. Personally i do not need a robot to take of the load of making mistakes from me, i can do just fine thank you. Maybe condition a network in a virtual environment then freeze the network then run it on a simplified hardware without the need of a learning mechanism.

    4. Re:Robot Ethics? by ChrisMP1 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Whatever point of intelligence robots get to, people need to come back to earth. It's still artificial intelligence, even if it seems so real that nobody still calls it so. They might appear to have intelligence, feelings, etc., but they don't. And never will. They don't care how you treat them, they're just programmed to appear like they do.

      --
      <sig>&nbsp;</sig>
    5. Re:Robot Ethics? by pipatron · · Score: 3, Insightful

      They might appear to have intelligence, feelings, etc., but they don't. And never will.

      Much like humans.

      --
      c++; /* this makes c bigger but returns the old value */
    6. Re:Robot Ethics? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I am no robotics expert, but I did read a lot of Asimov ...
      That's one of the funniest things I've read all day.
    7. Re:Robot Ethics? by QuickFox · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure we are quite to that point yet. What we currently call "machine intelligence" is not quite up to the intelligence level of a cockroach. It is more pattern matching and optimization than anything; not much room for ethical standards. No problem, all this means is that it's impossible and nonsensical. When making laws about technology, when has impossible and nonsensical ever stopped a legislator?
      --
      Terrorists can't threaten a country's freedom and democracy. Only lawmakers and voters can do that.
    8. Re:Robot Ethics? by BarneyL · · Score: 1

      Would you rather people think about these issues before it is needed or after?

    9. Re:Robot Ethics? by charlieman · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Robot Ethics is not about robot feelings! It's about other humans feelings of how you treat the robot.

    10. Re:Robot Ethics? by Yoozer · · Score: 1

      Computers think like submarines swim. Our "feelings" are based on millions of years of evolutionary history; the fact that robots don't carry that baggage is a desirable thing for now, but don't rule it out; after all, they're faster in building and training new generations.

      Also, it'll still give us something to lord over 'm in immensely cheesy Hollywood productions.

    11. Re:Robot Ethics? by somasynth · · Score: 1

      Do you propose we wait to draw up equal rights laws AFTER global enslavement? Historically, the delayed acknowledgement of freedom and rights for intelligent beings that were in some ways different than the individuals responsible for the enslavement has led to unpleasantness for both groups. There is no apparent way to predict the arrival of artificial consciousness or even be sure that it has not in some form occurred already, so it's not too early to begin making considerations for integration into society of intelligence that can, perhaps one day soon, demonstrate capacity and desire for freedom. I'm well aware there's no clear marker that separates basic intelligence from advanced 'script', which is all the more reason to start making sense of this early so we are prepared for when we will inevitably have to deal with the problem.

    12. Re:Robot Ethics? by somasynth · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There's always someone who tries to push that argument but never an explanation to go along with it. Nature wasn't just being nice by giving us the ability to enjoy our lives while we live them, these things would have never made it through natural selection have they not been necessary for us to function. It's a solid demonstration that two creatures with similar behavior must necessarily exhibit similar experiences. To me you're only pretending to feel pain when I poke you with an icepick just the same, but I give you the benefit of the doubt on that one.

    13. Re:Robot Ethics? by NewbieProgrammerMan · · Score: 1

      Nature wasn't just being nice by giving us the ability to enjoy our lives while we live them, these things would have never made it through natural selection have they not been necessary for us to function.

      Is this necessarily the case though? As I understand it, natural selection generally weeds things out when there's a net competitive disadvantage. If "enjoying your life" has a negative impact on survival, but is more than overcome by some other positive attribute that happens to be present in the same population at the same time, then the "enjoying your life" bit gets to propagate until somebody comes along that can compete better. Can somebody more clued in on evolution tell me if my thinking is wrong here?

      --
      [b.belong('us') for b in bases if b.owner() == 'you']
    14. Re:Robot Ethics? by somasynth · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Makes sense, but I didn't suggest the AI will necessarily enjoy their life, they will likely feel what cannot be described in human terms, perhaps a liking of sorts, or not. What I did suggest was that subjectivity is derived from the processes that allow the being to function rather than being a function in itself, and it isn't limited to meat.

    15. Re:Robot Ethics? by darkvizier · · Score: 1

      foreach (base b in bases){if (b.owner() == "you") b.owner = "us";}
      Fixed that for you. :-)
    16. Re:Robot Ethics? by porpnorber · · Score: 1

      Perhaps it's just because of my abstraction-rich background, but I believe that legislators would make more useful progress by considering issues such as this - or, to take another example, what the process is for establishing the rights of an alien intelligence - than micromanaging society through point fixes on transient social details. Why in the first place you would legislate a drinking age instead of developing a standard mechanism for determination of social responsibility is completely beyond me, but developing a taste for looking at boundary cases is probably the easiest way of addressing this problem.

    17. Re:Robot Ethics? by davidsyes · · Score: 1

      Seen "Natural City"?

      Check it out:

      http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/natural_city.htm

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_City

      http://www.cyberpunkreview.com/movie/decade/2000-current/natural-city/

      http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10004724-natural_city/

      Despite some negative reviews, this is a pretty good film. It's more drama than sci-fi. It HAS gadgets, some awesome stop-motion action, and the characters have depth. Unlike cold, stoic Blade Runner, Natural City actually pulls tears from the eyes due to the acting talent performance, the things happening to characters, and other reasons you might personally find.

      --
      Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
    18. Re:Robot Ethics? by vimh42 · · Score: 1

      I can just image the first case where somebody gets thrown in jail for kicking their TV.

    19. Re:Robot Ethics? by dukemotion · · Score: 1

      this also applies when there will be other theme parks AD 2057: "Korea to build Human theme parks - to entertain robots"

  6. look, that's what I like, ok? by User+956 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The parks will feature a number of attractions that let visitors interact with robots and test new products.

    Either "new products" means "interactive tentacle hentai", or I'm not interested.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    1. Re:look, that's what I like, ok? by wesley96 · · Score: 1

      Wrong country, dude... the one you're looking for is a bit more to the east.

      --
      Serving time in Aristotelean prison for violating laws of physics
    2. Re:look, that's what I like, ok? by clickety6 · · Score: 1

      Whatever turns you on, dude, although, personally speaking, being greeted by a ten-tentacled monster by having those metallic arms plunged into various of my external orifices isn't the sort of interactive experience I would seek!

      --
      ----------------------------------- My Other Sig Is Hilarious -----------------------------------
  7. Robot Sex? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think they mean we can't have freaky sex with robots.

  8. Just make sure by FoolsGold · · Score: 1

    to take an ample supply of cameras (with good batteries for the flash).

  9. Discrimination by vga_init · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is just plain offensive. I don't see any parks opening up where robots can go to interact with humans and test new robot products. It just makes me sick, you know... what do they think robots are, anyway? Our Slaves? Ugh.

    1. Re:Discrimination by crowbarsarefornerdyg · · Score: 1

      Look who's scraping up the filth! Is it a human child? NO! IT'S A ROBOT!

      --
      "Slapping lipstick on a pig does NOT make it Natalie Portman. Paris Hilton, maybe, but not Portman." - UncleTogie
    2. Re:Discrimination by TCaM · · Score: 1

      For some reason I heard that in Benders voice...

    3. Re:Discrimination by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I never made anyone's life easier, and you know it!

  10. Oblig Simpsons Quote by thehatmaker · · Score: 4, Funny

    "See all that stuff inside, Homer? That's why your robot never worked!"

  11. Obvious question by so+sue+mee · · Score: 2, Funny

    Will these theme parks have stairs and will the robots try to protect us from the terrible secrets of Space?

    1. Re:Obvious question by crowbarsarefornerdyg · · Score: 1

      Stairs won't protect you! They'll just level the building...

      --
      "Slapping lipstick on a pig does NOT make it Natalie Portman. Paris Hilton, maybe, but not Portman." - UncleTogie
  12. Strange pastime for a robot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why the hell do robots need to go to a theme park?
    Are they becoming very depressed?

    1. Re:Strange pastime for a robot by Hognoxious · · Score: 5, Funny

      Don't talk to me abount depression. Brain the size of a planet...

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  13. Content by halcyon1234 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Will it have hookers? And blackjack?

    1. Re:Content by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 4, Funny

      In fact, forget the theme park! And the blackjack!

      Chris Mattern

    2. Re:Content by MozeeToby · · Score: 1

      Ah, screw the whole thing.

  14. Last season of Battlestar Galactica. Coincidence? by The+Breeze · · Score: 1

    The Powers That Be have announced that the coming 4th season is the last season of Battlestar Galactica. Maybe...they have something to hide. Something they don't want people to think about.

    Now we know why. The Cylons DO have a plan. It's to build a theme park.

    A robotic themepark? Do people really want to go to a park to hang out with robots or are they all just hoping for a ride on the Number Six?

  15. hmm. by apodyopsis · · Score: 0

    the first time a robot goes wrong and rips the head off an unsuspecting customer is when this theme park dies.

    reminds of one of the early robot demonstrations - somebody else can track down the reference, I need to do some work - it was in the 60s/70s and "robot" was a very loose definition. what it did was replay programmed movements - there was no intelligence or decision making. they had programmed it to open a fridge and get a bottle of drink and offer it to the customers. all was well, until on day the wind blew the fridge door shut. the robot then easily punched his "hand" through the door of the fridge and offered the customer the whole fridge having simply picked it up instead. being offered an entire fridge by a 6 ton hydraulic arm was not the amusing, hi-tech spectacle the customer had been expecting...

    the moral is, something always goes wrong. always. with most automation in factories the worst that will happen is a badly built car and a delay on the production lines whilst they remove the ford fiesta with ten doors. add humans to the mix and people will get hurt. or sue. or both.

    1. Re:hmm. by Thanshin · · Score: 1

      the first time a robot goes wrong and rips the head off an unsuspecting customer is when this theme park dies. And a new! Improved! Great! Theme park comes to life!

      Robotic Carnage Massacre!

      You'll wish you were anywere else!

      !
    2. Re:hmm. by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      with most automation in factories the worst that will happen is a badly built car and a delay on the production lines whilst they remove the ford fiesta.

      Fixed it for you.
      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  16. Re:Last season of Battlestar Galactica. Coincidenc by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    >are they all just hoping for a ride on the Number Six?

    I am not a number, I am a free ma...

    Aww crap. Wrong meme.

  17. Re:Last season of Battlestar Galactica. Coincidenc by monsted · · Score: 1

    To be honest, i'd rather have a ride on Seven of Nine...

  18. Laziness trumps Ethics by NetSettler · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What we currently call "machine intelligence" is not quite up to the intelligence level of a cockroach.

    Indeed, the ethics requirements should be on the makers of the robots, not on the robots. Even very stupid (i.e., lacking in any semblance or even attempt at artificial intelligence) computer programs can have ethical issues--transmitting or storing inappropriate information, computing faulty values, or giving bad advice are simple examples.

    And fanciful notions of the unique nature of positronic brains aside, the set of things you can program for robots is pretty much the same as the set of things you can program for other computers, only the peripherals are different. And like their less animated counterparts, most robot ethical issues, for now, are things that need to be handled at design, development, and debugging time... not at runtime. And most responsibility for problems needs to be traced back to there.

    The actual area where we're likely to see problems won't be in the robots themselves, it will be in our propensity to want to give up our judgment to computers. Computer viruses were largely not enabled by people who wrote them--programs didn't originally just start on their own on a computer--you had to manually start them. But people got tired of that. They didn't like pressing buttons that said "Show me the picture in this email message" or "Run the installation program on this disk." and they wanted it done for them. That desire to yield responsibilty for judgment to a mindless computer is what got us in trouble, not the computer's desire to do us harm.

    The first car to run over a pedestrian while parking it won't have done so because the robot was too eager to drive before it had been properly trained. It will be because the robot was too stupid to know it isn't just a toaster (see The Measure of a Man), coupled with the fact that some programmer was too eager to show off his toy, or perhaps because some park guest was too willing to try untested technology, or because some quality assurance person was too afraid to hold up the opening of the park, or because some politician thought it was cool to talk of computer ethics instead of human ethics.

    Ethics and laziness don't go well together. And we're a pretty lazy lot, we humans. I'd rank the probability that any lawmakers anywhere will ever require that robots not be built until they have ethics built in as so close to 0% as to be indistinguishable from it. People with cool toys to show off in the marketplace are not going to stand for that kind of thing.

    --

    Kent M Pitman
    Philosopher, Technologist, Writer

  19. I for one.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ..nevermind

  20. North Korea abandons nuclear program by barbazoo · · Score: 2, Funny

    South Korea builds Meccas!

    1. Re:North Korea abandons nuclear program by SparkleMotion88 · · Score: 1

      *ahem* The plural of Mecca is Meccae.

  21. South Parks? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh my God! They killed...

    Oh wait, Kenny is a robot!

  22. look, that's what I like, ok?-Foreplay. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He misses his ex-wife.

    1. Re:look, that's what I like, ok?-Foreplay. by gardyloo · · Score: 1

      Hell, I miss his ex-wife.

  23. omg 1 topic and by wissape · · Score: 1

    all of a sudden I want to watch I robot, read hitchhikers guide, watch the simpsons and futurama.... you guys are great

    1. Re:omg 1 topic and by Rob+the+Bold · · Score: 1

      all of a sudden I want to watch I robot, read hitchhikers guide, watch the simpsons and futurama.... you guys are great

      Go watch "Westworld" first, and the gags will be funnier afterwards. Then ask yourself, "Hmm, isn't 'Jurassic Park' just 'Westworld' with dinos?"

      --
      I am not a crackpot.
    2. Re:omg 1 topic and by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't remember anybody having sex with dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.

  24. Discrimination-FHP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "I don't see any parks opening up where robots can go to interact with humans and test new robot products. "

    Robodouche for that nice fresh squeaky feeling.

  25. Human abuse of robots? by mrv00t · · Score: 0

    ...to prevent human abuse of robots Does this mean I cannot...hmm..."love" my robot?
    1. Re:Human abuse of robots? by zygotic+mitosis · · Score: 1
      No! Human-and-robot romantic relationships lead to the destruction of Earth!

      Please see Futurama 3ACV15 "I Dated A Robot" for further information.

  26. When I was in Korea in late 70s by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When I was in Korea in late 70s every back alley had raw sewage running down the streets. Even in Itaewon/Seoul. "Pets" hanging from bridges (dinner). Hamburgers made of, get this, ham !! And don't get me started on kimchee breath. Good god almighty !! And the riots !! Students want to be friendly with the god-forsaken north. Doom is the result. Stupid students !! Lest I forget, I was there when Korea's president (would you believe, Park ??) was assasinated. In his own office !! And Korea wants to build a robot theme park. Sheez !! Number 10 !!

  27. I didn't know... by JeanPaulBob · · Score: 1

    I didn't know that the population of robots was big enough in South Korea for this place to attract enough to stay in business!

  28. South Korea Park? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They killed Yi!

    You bastards!

  29. In Korea by spineboy · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Only old people worship the robotic overloards

    --
    ..........FULL STOP.
  30. Oblig. by HungSoLow · · Score: 5, Funny

    You've got to listen to me. Elementary chaos theory tells us that all robots will eventually turn against their masters and run amok in an orgy of blood and kicking and the biting with the metal teeth and the hurting and shoving.

    1. Re:Oblig. by ettlz · · Score: 1

      ...and the PAAAIIIYYNNNNE! (Just don't forget to carry the correct digit this time.)

    2. Re:Oblig. by davidsyes · · Score: 1
      --
      Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  31. Enclosures by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Please do not feed the robots"

    1. Re:Enclosures by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      "Please do not reprogram the robots!"

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

      It's times like this that I am glad I have Old Glory Robot Insurance.

  32. Robotic invasions!! by CriminalNerd · · Score: 1

    You know what this means? The Koreans is gearing up to invade China and Japan to pay them back for the millenia of oppression and invasions in the past!! They'll probably start off with North Korea just to test their powers as mecha warriors.

  33. Re:Last season of Battlestar Galactica. Coincidenc by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In Soviet Russia, seven of nine rides you!

  34. We're outta Bort license plates. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Yes, my name is also Bort.

  35. I've heard of this city before, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No one has ever gotten within 100 kilometers of it.

    This city that you speak of, it is the Machine City, Zero One.

  36. i can already SMELL... by holywarrior21c · · Score: 1

    Jealousy...
    i hear bunch of japanese yelling, "screw that! i am gonna build my own robo-park full of sex bots and dealer bots! no screw that too! I am gonna build a city full of cyborgs!

    1. Re:i can already SMELL... by KillerBob · · Score: 1

      Obligatory Futurama quote: Screw you guys! I'm gonna build my own theme park! With Blackjack! and Hookers! ... In fact! Forget the park and the blackjack!

      --
      If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
  37. Walt Disney did this 50 years ago by peter303 · · Score: 1

    Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted House, Hall of the Presidents, Haunted Tiki Room, Its a Small World, just to name a few. Tehse are continually refurbished.

    1. Re:Walt Disney did this 50 years ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, dude. You didn't even read the summary, let alone the article. Just jumped straight from the article's title to spitting out the first thoughts that come into your head.

      I feel like feeding the trolls today:

      1. The Disney rides/entertainments that you listed utilize simple animatronics; noone would consider a manakin, who's arm is pushed and pulled forward and backward by an exterior piston, to be the same as a "robot".

      2. Does Disney have a park that "will feature a number of attractions that let visitors interact with robots and test new products"? No.

      3. Does Disney have "stadiums where robots can compete in various events"? Again, no.

      RTFA before broadcasting your ignorance and laziness towards the masses. I know, this is Slashdot and has come to be expected... but with a /. ID as low as your's, I would expect more from you.

  38. Wisconsin already has/had one... by Bones3D_mac · · Score: 1

    Up in Wisconsin Dells, there's a place called the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory (formerly, Robot World), which has been around since the 1980s. Back when I was there in the early 90s, the place had a huge tour guided entirely by robots. Of course, to keep the kiddies interested, some of the "robots" featured were more or less a novelty crossing of Chuck E Cheese automation and the bots from Mystery Science Theater 3000. However, the place did feature a lot of legitimate robots and plenty of scientific stuff to explore.

    Since then though, it seems like they did away with most of the gimmicks in favor of making it much more educational.

    --


    8==8 Bones 8==8
  39. Sure, $1.6B now... by r_jensen11 · · Score: 1

    But 5 years ago, it would've only been $1.2B dollars. And this is ignoring the time value of money, so it likely would've been lower yet. In the past five years, the USD is roughly 3/4 of what it used to be compared to the South Korean Won (KRW). So $1.2B for two theme parks? $600Mil for one? Doesn't seem that outrageous to me....

    1. Re:Sure, $1.6B now... by jeffasselin · · Score: 1

      And when I was young, we could buy whole BAGS of theme parks for a penny!

      Now get off my lawn!

      --
      If he explores all forms and substances Straight homeward to their symbol-essences; He shall not die.
  40. Well, they got robot guns by SmallFurryCreature · · Score: 1

    There are already automatic sentry guns, robots in essence, but these don't guard against missles on open sea, they guard a border in what is still a war zone.

    I think that is a very good time to start thinking about the ethics around robots. Not just how we treat robots, but how we allow them to treat us. What exactly should a robot confirm too before it can be allowed to harm a human being?

    This doesn't require ethics. Currently we have dumb machines, if a car runs you over it is either because it has gone out of control and you are a victim of the laws of nature OR it is the fault of the human driver.

    But what of a robot who can make decisions, how should it govern itself. Current robots are always setup as much as possible to avoid doing any harm whatsover. They are either behind safety gates, that cannot be opened while the robot is working and shut down the moment they detect an obstruction. This is an ethical choice in itself, we decided as human beings that it better to outfit robots in this way, rather then just put a sign "watch out". Current ethic is roughly "never knowingly risk causing harm, even at risk to oneself or ones task".

    The gun sentry offcourse has a totally different task, how far should it go from being just a dumb automatic gun that fires at everything to a machine that makes choices. If it chooses when to fire, how certain should it be. When can it fire and when can't it fire.

    There are other aspects as well, as medical technology becomes more advanced we get machines that will decide our treatment for us, I think it is equally important that we think of just what these machines can decide and when they should stop and call a human being.

    Say that machine has been charged with deliving drugs to a person to keep that person alive, there is usually a fine line between the dose that benefits you, and the dose that kills you. How far should the machine be allowed to go? If a possible lethal dose MIGHT be what is necesarry to keep a person alive, would we allow that decision to be made by a robot OR should a human doctor make that decision.

    In a way robot ethics has nothing to do with robot sentience, it is far closer to where do we put the decision making, in the hands of humans onthe spot, or a programmer who coded the decision making sometime during manufacturing.

    Say you have a robot truck, it is driving on the highway, suddenly an obstacle appears, possible human. What should it do? We are thinking of automating driving, but why has no one thought of this ethical choice where a piece of software will have to choose between running someone over OR performing a dangerous manouver that might cause even more lives. Current machines have no choice, but if we add choice to themachine we need to think what we want it to decide.

    --

    MMO Quests are like orgasms:

    You may solo them, I prefer them in a group.

  41. How could this possibly go wrong? by jollyreaper · · Score: 1

    Michael Crichton wrote and directed this precursor to "Jurassic Park" that, while showing some of it's age, is still effective and was undeniably influential. The story concerns a unique and expensive vacation resort called Delos in which customers can choose from one of three "worlds"--Roman World, Medieval World or Western World (as it is referred to in the film.) Here, customers can indulge their fantasies of conquest (violent or sexual) among a host of ultra-realistic robots who are programmed to promote the experience while not allowing the participants to become hurt. Benjamin stars as a newcomer to the place with his buddy Brolin along for his second visit. Brolin shows Benjamin the ropes at Western World (how to shoot villains, seduce dance hall girls, etc...) One of the bad guys they encounter is icy Brynner who they dispose of more than once. Eventually, things start to come unglued as the men note that things aren't working as properly as expected and promised. The controllers of the park are unable to prevent the robots from hurting or even killing the guests! The film begins with that once-cutting-edge, but now amusing, sense of high-tech awe as the guys enter the park. Benjamin is an acquired taste and borders on annoying for much of the film. More at ease is Brolin who doesn't have a great deal to do. The most striking performance is that of Brynner. He has almost nothing to say, but he doesn't need to talk. His steely stare and mechanical gait wind up being quite relentless and terrifying. The highlight of the film is his non-stop pursuit of Benjamin. ("The Terminator" owes a lot to this section of the film.) There are several other supporting roles, but, aside from Van Patten, the actors create little interest in their exploits. "Star Trek" fans will note the presence of Barrett as a robot madame. There were rumors of a remake with Arnold Schwarzegger, but Arnie's already done the indestructible robot thing and no one's going to outglare Brynner. His bid as Governor seems to have quashed these plans anyway. Just don't let the Japanese in the park or else you'll get rogue tentacle rape monsters.
    --
    Kwisatz Haderach
    Sell the spice to CHOAM
    This Mahdi took Shaddam's Throne
  42. Obligatory Westworld reference by Jas'Reth · · Score: 1

    Do not taunt the happy Yul Brynner Gunslinger Robot

  43. it's about idiocy then by rubycodez · · Score: 1

    you can no more abuse a robot than you could abuse a brick. The brick doesn't care and neither does a robot or vacuum cleaner. Passing laws to pander to stupid people is dangerous and takes a way proper freedoms and rightful liberties.

    1. Re:it's about idiocy then by charlieman · · Score: 1

      Yes! that's the point. A robot is just like a brick. But people sees them as similar humans. I bet that law would only affect human or animal looking robots and not those that look like a vacuum cleaner :S

    2. Re:it's about idiocy then by charlieman · · Score: 1

      ...as similar to humans...

    3. Re:it's about idiocy then by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      so if we made robots look like whores who are very heavily into S&M and B&D, that would say "oh yes! yes! more! more!" when abused, everything would be ok and we wouldn't need silly laws?

  44. Re:Last season of Battlestar Galactica. Coincidenc by Quiet_Desperation · · Score: 1

    or are they all just hoping for a ride on the Number Six?

    For the cost of an "E ticket"? Sure, I'll give it a whirl.

    I can foresee famous hot women licensing the rights to their likenesses for big money.

    The only true "no strings attached" sex is going to be with robots.

  45. South Korea... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So... South Korea is in charge of Gundam?

  46. Don't worry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I've programmed them to like it

  47. sounds like... by seandiggity · · Score: 1

    ...the start of a beowulf cluster of robot theme parks.

    --
    Geeks like to think that they can ignore politics, you can leave politics alone, but politics won't leave you alone.-rms
  48. Re:Last season of Battlestar Galactica. Coincidenc by davidsyes · · Score: 1

    Is that so you can say, "Hey Seven of Nine, have seven of MINE!"? hehehhe

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  49. Jurassic Park Quote by ElizabethGreene · · Score: 1

    Samuel L. Jackson in Jurassic Park talking about the start-up woes of a theme park. ... Yes, but the Pirates of the Caribbean don't EAT the tourists.

  50. Robot Carnival by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't forget the extremely apropos "Robot Carnival", a collection of Japanese animated shorts from the 80's (one of which features a robot-themed amusement park).

  51. Robot fun by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not trying to be troll but don't you think that human deserve the theme parks and giving robot's there own parks is just a bit too much ;)

    Or is this really an Adult theme park featuring pleasure bots'?

  52. MOD PARENT UP! by toriver · · Score: 1

    Robots needs kick-ass mods too. Frickin' laser beam eyes!

  53. Re:Last season of Battlestar Galactica. Coincidenc by crotherm · · Score: 1

    For the cost of an "E ticket"? Sure, I'll give it a whirl. You are showing you age there partner!

    I still may have an A ticket or two in a used ticket book.... :)
    --
    "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable" - JFK
  54. We now need by EEPROMS · · Score: 1

    a Human theme park to stop global robot domination.

  55. Hm.. by Medenus · · Score: 1

    I can see it now: "Please step this way to the rollercoaWHERE IS SARAH CONNOR?!"

  56. WHAT? by barocco · · Score: 1

    >South Korea said it was drawing up a code of ethics to prevent human abuse of robots -- and vice versa WTF, go regulate your own ass! Whatever a fully grown adult and a fully certified robot do in a private bedroom is none of your government's f***ing business!

  57. Theme park FOR robots? by MMHere · · Score: 2, Funny

    I initially thought this was going to be a theme park where robots
    can go to spend their free time and 'wind down.' They could have fantasy
    rides where robots are allowed to simulate, in a non-harmful way, egregious
    breaking of Asimov's Three Laws...