Robot Love Goes Bad

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Posted by samzenpus on Monday March 9, 2009 @06:54AM from the become-my-robot-bride dept.

hundredrabh writes "Ever had a super needy girlfriend that demanded all your love and attention and would freak whenever you would leave her alone? Irritating, right? Now imagine the same situation, only with an asexual third-generation humanoid robot with 100kg arms. Such was the torture subjected upon Japanese researchers recently when their most advanced robot, capable of simulating human emotions, ditched its puppy love programming and switched over into stalker mode. Eventually the researchers had to decommission the robot, with a hope of bringing it back to life again."

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Scientifically Speaking ... by eldavojohn · 2009-03-09 06:58 · Score: 4, Insightful

Toshiba Akimu Robotic Research Institute
It's awfully convenient I can't find anything on this place in English aside from news stories ... are there any Japanese speakers that can translate that to Japanese and search for it?

I think that there is a visible line between actual robotic research and novelty toys shop. I'm going to put this in the latter unless someone can provide evidence of some progress being made here. I'm getting kind of tired of these stories with big claims and no published research for review. If you're looking to make money, go ahead and sell your novelty barking dogs that really urinate on your carpet ... just don't try to veil it in a news story with claims of artificial affection being implemented.

I think IGN and everyone else really embellished on this and no one did their homework.

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1. Re:Scientifically Speaking ... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-09 07:21 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  You're right to be suspicious, it's completely a hoax:
  
  Update: The story is a fake, and the robot shown is actually of a Japanese medical robot. Thanks tipster!
The lesson by halivar · 2009-03-09 06:58 · Score: 4, Insightful

Program a robot to think like a human, and they will begin acting like a human. It's amazing no one ever thinks about the negative aspects of this.
1. Re:The lesson by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-09 07:44 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  All we need now is teach the robot how to deal with rejection ;)
  I don't need a robot to deal with my erection. I can handle that myself.
  What? Rejection? Are you sure?
  *squints at screen*
  Sorry. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go shave my palms.
GPP feature? by Zaphod-AVA · 2009-03-09 07:00 · Score: 5, Funny

"...their most advanced robot, capable of simulating human emotions..."
Arthur- "Sounds ghastly!"
Marvin- "It is. It all is. Absolutely ghastly."
Re:turn it off by vishbar · 2009-03-09 07:03 · Score: 5, Funny

Hans Reiser begs to differ.

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Nonsense by Kell+Bengal · 2009-03-09 07:06 · Score: 5, Insightful

I have never read such utter drivel in all my life. There was a problem with the code and a researcher got trapped - this doesn't mean the robot is lovesick, it means their OH&S has a serious problem. Really, she should not have been working alone with potentially dangerous hardware like that - powerful robots (capable of lifting humans, like this one) can be deadly.
YIAARTYVM (Yes, I Am A Roboticist, Thank You Very Much) and I've worked with potentially lethal automated systems in the past - we had very stringent safety protocols in place to protect students and researchers in the case of unintended activation of the hardware.
To say that the robot is 'love stricken' or any other anthropomorphised nonsense simply detracts from the reality that their safety measures failed and someone could have been killed.

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Later that evening... by MaxwellEdison · 2009-03-09 07:21 · Score: 4, Funny

The robot then escaped captivity, broke into a local mechanic's garage and consumed half a 55-gallon drum of waste oil. It was later seen on the other side of town, tottering into a closed department store. Authorities found the automaton in the housewares section, laying on the floor in an Abort/Retry/Fail loop and trying to fuck a toaster. Lifetime has picked up the rights to the TV movie adaptation. The robot will be played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, while the toaster will be voiced by Rosie Perez.

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-=Bang Bang=-
Oh come on... by gooman · 2009-03-09 08:13 · Score: 4, Funny

Ever had a super needy girlfriend...
Right there, first sentence, I was lost. Girlfriend? Huh?
This is slashdot, right? Oh look, shiny robot. Neat!

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"Kittens give Morbo gas!"
Re:Skynet jilted!@ by fractoid · 2009-03-09 12:43 · Score: 4, Funny

What are you talking about? It sent out literally MILLIONS of emails all saying "I LOVE YOU" and how many replies did it get? HUH?

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