Japanese Build Pocket Robot-Cellphone Hybrid

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Japanese Build Pocket Robot-Cellphone Hybrid

Posted by Unknown on Friday March 4, 2011 @05:20AM from the making-calls-creepier dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Japanese researchers unveiled yesterday a pocket-size telepresence robot called Elfoid. The device, which looks like a little ghost, transmits voice and motion over a 3G network to convey a person's 'presence' to a remote location. It's a creation of Hiroshi Ishiguro, a professor at Osaka University who is known for his lifelike teleoperated androids. The Elfoid has a limited range of motion, but its creators are planning to equip it with mini-actuators so it can imitate the movements of the person on the other end of the line. With vaguely formed features, the device is designed to be a surrogate of people of any age or gender."

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Too Creepy by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 05:25 · Score: 4, Informative

It's too creepy. Destroy this abomination.
1. Re:Too Creepy by ArhcAngel · 2011-03-04 05:38 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  But wouldn't you like to be able to hear your victim scream as you stick pins in this?
  
  --
  "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
2. Re:Too Creepy by trollertron3000 · 2011-03-04 05:44 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Agreed. Burn it. Burn it with fire.
  FREAKS!
  
  --
  Tiger Blooded Bi-Winning Machine
3. Re:Too Creepy by cayenne8 · 2011-03-04 06:29 · Score: 2
  
  Yeah....and just wait till one of these things pulls a "Chucky" and starts killing people.....
  
  --
  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
riiight... by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 05:26 · Score: 2, Interesting

might be my next cellphone? no thanks, I may enjoy the song "voodoo people" by prodigy, but that doesn't mean i want a voodoo doll for a cellphone
1. Re:riiight... by thedonger · 2011-03-04 05:46 · Score: 2
  
  I'm gonna hold out for the D.P. model. Maybe that one will have real hands and true "reach around" capability.
  
  --
  Help fight poverty: Punch a poor person.
Bender & the card by Toe,+The · 2011-03-04 05:28 · Score: 3, Interesting

I don't know why, but for some reason, this just makes me think of the robotic greeting card sitting on Bender's shoulder:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Futurama_219_-_Mother's_Day.jpg
Something odd by Anonymous Coward · 2011-03-04 05:29 · Score: 4, Funny

What is wrong with these people?
1. Re:Something odd by MickyTheIdiot · 2011-03-04 05:37 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  This post really made me laugh for some reason.
  If I had a girlfriend though, I would want her to be Japanese. I would love to come home and see her dressed as a maid or in cat ears... I don't think that part of Japanese weirdness is bad AT ALL...
2. Re:Something odd by MikeDaSpike · 2011-03-04 05:58 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  If you go over at sankaku complex (NSFW site) they once in a while post survey results (mostly from 2chan) and the majority of it shows that most japanese girls despise otaku (nerds). Also, for some reason japanese culture thinks that moaning as if you're being raped is the standard while having sex. That might be bad or good, depends on your preferences...
3. Re:Something odd by bluefoxlucid · 2011-03-04 06:04 · Score: 2
  
  Too much time talking to Pintsize.
  
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So it's... by UberWhack · 2011-03-04 05:39 · Score: 3, Funny

...just another android phone?
Not bad at all. Great start. by Millennium · 2011-03-04 06:23 · Score: 2

Call me when they finish Sumomo.
1. Re:Not bad at all. Great start. by RemyBR · 2011-03-04 06:53 · Score: 2
  
  Seconded, although I'd rather have Kotoko.
  
  --
  Cosplayers.net - The Cosplayers Network