IBM Patenting HAL-Like Stuffed Animal Toys

theodp writes "'Look, Dave,' said HAL. 'I can see you're really upset about this. I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill and think things over.' Put a HAL 9000 in a baby's stuffed animal toy, a toddler's EEG-equipped knit cap, or other interactive monitoring device, and you've got the gist of IBM Research's just-published patent application for its Adaptive System for Real-Time Behavioral Coaching and Command Intermediation. 'For example,' explains Big Blue, 'to help a child who plays rough with other children the interaction data can include multiple interaction operations that can be performed by the interactive device for helping the child play less rough with other children. For example, one interaction operation can include an audible warning telling the child 'to play nice' in a strict tone of voice, whereas another interaction operation can include an audible warning that asks the child 'would you like someone to do that to you' in a softer tone of voice along with a visual cue as well."

Comments

Infant EEG Caps 'Very Safe, Comfortable'

[theodp]

University of Tennessee DCN Lab: We currently use a very safe, comfortable 128 channel cap(high density EEG sensor array) to collect the infant EEG/ERP. The EEG cap contains sponge discs and there is no risk to the infant wearing the cap.

How about parents just do their job?

[msobkow]

Isn't it the parent's responsibility to "coach" their child? Maybe if more parents did their job properly there wouldn't be a perceived need for IBM's technology.

Re:How about parents just do their job?

[francium goes boom]

Parents? Coach their children? Where have you been the last 10 years, it's the schools job to make kids productive members of society and teach children morals (that the parents don't like) and how to behave (that the parents don't re-enforce)

Re:How about parents just do their job?

[Anonymous Coward]

The don't reinforce spelling skills either.

Children are too unpredictable

[countertrolling]

We should give them up for 'droids. Much easier to control.

Patent Claims

[k2backhoe]

Claim 12: A system as in claim 1 where, if the audible warning telling the child 'to play nice' in a strict tone of voice and the audible warning that asks the child 'would you like someone to do that to you' in a softer tone of voice along with a visual cue as well are not effective, then a small correctional current is applied through EEG electrodes 1 and 2, inducing the desired behavior or a peaceful coma.

Open Source

[sodafox]

Things like this really need to be open source. I'm not just talking about the source code, but the dialog too. Parents need to know what sort of things it's going to say. Last thing I'd want to hear coming out of it's mouth is "IBM is the Light".

Children, listen to your parents

[Culture20]

Please don't teach kids that it's okay to receive moral instruction from an AI (or worse, a mere expert system). Kids are insidious rules lawyers who will bend and twist words/actions to fit what they want. Human guardians need to be there to make them understand that rules lawyering is not socially acceptable. An expert system will be just as easily beat as the end game boss monster in Mega Man XXXVI.

Re:Children, listen to your parents

[SteveFoerster]

But this may prove to be a useful skill in a world with lots of AIs: q.v., Star Trek Liar Paradox

A cheaper option

[tumutbound]

A 6ft length of rattan cane will do a good job of enforcing the rules and is much cheaper than any AI. Plus it can be fun for at least one participant!

Re:What about Teddy?

[deimtee]

"I always do what Teddy says." - Harry Harrison

Oblig. Futurama

[Brett Buck]

Have you ever considered turning off the TV, sitting down with your child, and hitting them?

How long do these AI toys last?

[dafing]

All summer long?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super-Toys_Last_All_Summer_Long