Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Toddlers Embrace Our (Giggling) Robotic Overlords
Toddlers will play with and yes, embrace, robotic playmates, according to researchers from the University of California at San Diego. I have to apologize for two things before proceeding. First, I think this is really last year's story; as far as I can tell, the research paper was presented in 2006. Second, I've always thought that I was above using the "_______ welcome our ______ robotic overlords" construction. Sigh.
It's still a good story, though, and I don't have it on my site.
(QRIO and the toddlers get along)
J. Movellan and F. Tanaka observed the interactions between a classroom full of toddlers aged 18 months to two years. The QRIO robot stayed in the middle of the room using its sensors to avoid bumping into kids or objects. Its initial programming was to giggle when children touched its head; it could also sit down and then lie down when its power was out.
Over a period of months, toddlers seemed to interact with QRIO in much the same way that they did with each other. Researchers measured this by looking at how often they touched QRIO; mostly, they touched the robot on the arms and hands, rather than the face and legs.
Over months, the children appeared to care for QRIO in the same way that they did for each other. When QRIO fell down, the children helped it up. When it ran out of power, they covered it with a blanket, as if it was sleeping, saying "night, night."
Movellan remarks
"The study shows that current technology is very close to being able to produce robots able to bond with toddlers, at least over long periods of time."
An interesting side result of the study came about when researchers made more use of QRIO's capabilities. The original QRIO is capable of complex movements, as shown in the video below.
(QRIO struts its stuff - seriously!)
However, when researchers allowed QRIO to carry out more complicated movements, like dancing all the time on its own, the children lost interest quickly. When researchers let QRIO go back to its simpler behavior, children played with it as a peer again.
Science fiction writers like Brian Aldiss have long thought about how children (and adults) would consider robotic playmates. In his 1969 story Super-Toys Last All Summer Long, an adult interacts with a robotic playmate.
"Come down here, Teddy!"She stood impassively, watching the little furry figure as it climbed down from step to step on its stubby limbs. When it reached the bottom, she picked it up and carried it into the living room. It lay unmoving in her arms, staring up at her. She could feel just the slightest vibration from its motor.
"Stand there, Teddy. I want to talk to you."
(Read more about Teddy the robotic bear
Interestingly, the researchers noted that it was possible that robots could be useful as "teacher's assistant," a role similar to that played by Teddy, who answered questions about its owner's behavior.
Also, as I noted above, the QRIO robot was discontinued when Sony shut down its unprofitable robot division. However, there are rumors that Toyota might buy it and do something with it.
Read more about Robot becomes one of the kids and take a look at the abstract for the original paper at Behavior Analysis of Children's Touch on a Small Humanoid Robot: Long-term Observation at a Daily Classroom over Three Months. More info about Sony QRIO and possible Toyota resurrection of QRIO.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 11/6/2007)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
SnapBot Robots - You Choose Their Legs And They Choose Their Gaits
It's not really polite to tear the limbs off robots.
Humanoid Robots Building Humanoid Robots
''Pardon me, Struthers,' he broke in suddenly... 'haven't you a section of the factory where only robot labor is employed?'' - Isaac Asimov (1940)
What's The Best Way To Ship And Unpack Humanoid Robots?
'I opened the oblong box, where lay the automatons side by side...' - Elizabeth Bellamy, 1899.
SpiRobs Soft Spiral Robotic Arm
'Beware the 'long, flexible, glittering tentacles...' - HG Wells, 1898
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
TRANSFORM Dynamic Furniture Concept Becomes What You Need
'An adjustment panel outside the door would cause it to extrude various appurtenances in memory plastic...'
Harvard Metamaterials Change Structure Instantly
'Annealed in any shape for a time, and codified, the structure of that shape is retained down to the molecules.'
SnapBot Robots - You Choose Their Legs And They Choose Their Gaits
It's not really polite to tear the limbs off robots.
Dino From Magical Toys An AI Companion To Children
'...the imaginary companions discovered by needful children.'
Humanoid Robots Building Humanoid Robots
''Pardon me, Struthers,' he broke in suddenly... 'haven't you a section of the factory where only robot labor is employed?''
Darpa 'Defiant' Unmanned Autonomous Ship
'There was no wheel, and no steersman!'
What's The Best Way To Ship And Unpack Humanoid Robots?
'I opened the oblong box, where lay the automatons side by side...'
DNA Printed Book By Isaac Asimov Now Available
'They tied the memory to the bloodline and that was their record!'
AI Computer Chip Designs Passeth Human Understanding
'It seems that at one time computers were designed directly by human beings.'
Space Traffic Management (STM) Needed Now
'...the spot was a lonely one in an uncharted region, far from the normal lanes of space traffic.'
Fine-Tune Your Infinite Book The Way You Want It
'I squatted down beside the roller and tried to make some sense out of the knobs. There were thirty-nine of them...'
SpiRobs Soft Spiral Robotic Arm
'Beware the long, flexible, glittering tentacles...'
Holland Factory 3D Printing 500 Tons Of Steak Per Month
'...I don’t understand technical things — tell me, does it ever feel anything?"
Stratospheric Solar Geoengineering From Harvard
'Pina2bo would have to operate full blast for many years to put as much SO2 into the stratosphere as its namesake had done in a few minutes.'
ErythroMer Artificial Blood
'My chemists are all working on the preparation of the artificial blood.'
Vesuvius Challenge Accepted - Ancient Burnt Scroll Read!
'The image on the Trimagniscope tube was an enlarged view of one of the pocket-size books found on the body...'
