And then there were fembots in Canada...

[Tev]

So this guy in Canada built himself a girlfriend. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1238324/Robot-Romance-Inventor-Le-Trung-takes-fembot-girlfriend-Christmas-dinner.html) Sure his parents were a bit weirded out at first, but now they seem cool with it.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/12/25/article-1238324-07B2D5CC000005DC-350_634x440.jpg

Robo-gal Aiko (A-ko?) has all the senses except for smell, is sensitive enough to tell when she is being stroked or tickled, and apparently if you're too forward with her or rough she'll even try to slap you. She can speak English and Japanese, can hold conversations fairly well, and can recognize people and objects. The only issue at this point is that she can't really walk on her own. Oh, and she likes getting new clothes for Christmas....

So, we're getting ever closer to the Blade Runner-esque cyber dystopia followed by a robot uprising. Are you ready?

[Green Spanner]

Argh! Uncanny valley! Uncanny valleeeeeeeey!

I expect some Stepford Wives type stuff to spring out of this though.

[Tev]

From the article, this guy's official plan (not the unofficial one that I assume revolves around getting it on with his robo-wife) is to sell the tech to a firm that will build robot assistants for the elderly.

[Kim]

This only makes me hope more that I live to see the day we have Robot's Rights activists and people arguing for the right of Human x Robot marriage.

[Bells]

From the article, this guy's official plan (not the unofficial one that I assume revolves around getting it on with his robo-wife) is to sell the tech to a firm that will build robot assistants for the elderly.

This could/will go wrong on SO many levels.

On the other hand... that SNL Robot Insurance skit might just come to be...

[Madcow9000]

Here's a video I found of his robot on Youtube.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yomx7bXMf2U

It's amazing what he's done with his budget, but the noise her face makes when she talks would drive me crazy.

I really hope he manages to get some funding. Perhaps myomer bundles that simulate human muscle would work to make her faster and remove the whirring sound. Might even make her more lifelike. Only problem I can think of is that myomers suck a lot of juice to work.

If he succeeds we're that much closer to having mechs.

[BitVyper]

Extreme creepiness aside, the technology at work here is pretty exciting.

[Tev]

If he succeeds we're that much closer to having mechs.Actually we're that much closer to ninja robo-sassins. Mecha technology is going to have to evolve out of exo-suits and tanks.

[Melfice]

Actually we're that much closer to ninja robo-sassins. Mecha technology is going to have to evolve out of exo-suits and tanks.

We already have exo-suits.
Mind, the guy who's making them is very adamant about never EVER, not in your fucking life-time, giving this technology to any kind of government, but exo-suits do exist.

[Madcow9000]

I guess you're right, but the problems of locomotion might be solved on the smaller scale and then maybe finding a larger one.

I know that mechs are rediculous and by the time we have to tech to make them the current state of ground based warfare will make them useless but there's always exosuits and power armors.

[CABAL49]

I'd hit it.

But this does remind me about this one time I was watching Reno 911, a police comedy for those who don't know. It took me a few minutes to figure out this one lady was actually a sex doll. It really looked that lifelike.

[Tev]

Well the sex toy industry has gone to rather great lengths to make dolls more life-like. I just don't know if I'm ready for my sex toy to explain to me what it likes in the sack.

[Archbio]

And the disturbing trend continues.

[Nightshine]

There's hope for the hopeless like me :c

[Kyanbu The Legend]

I can almost hear the terminators marching down the street.

Seriously though, robotics is progressing rather quickly. We might be seeing androids all over the place pretty soon.

[Shyria Dracnoir]

We might be seeing androids all over the place pretty soon.

Fun fact: The technical term for a female-form robot would be "gynoid"; "android" more properly refers to male-form bots. Think this might become a point of contention in future Human/Robot rights relations?

[Premmy]

We don't need to see humanoid death machines. IF I saw that thing coming down the street I'd cshit my pants. it's CREEEEEEPY!

[Tev]

Just wait until it gets multiple arm attachments.

[stefan]

I'm willing to fund this guy if his work means I might one day get my brain put in a functional robotic body, thereby circumventing many of the issues of old age.

[Hanuman]

Attempting to slap? That's a very slippery slope.

[Kyanbu The Legend]

Ah I wonder If the military will ever play around with this little achievement in robotics.

[Tev]

Attempting to slap? That's a very slippery slope.Eh, some people like that kind of thing. Other people take that modification, teach the robot deadly martial arts, and then program it to kill their enemies.

[Art of Hilt]

It's interesting that almost everyone's reaction to an android is "killer death machine" as opposed to, say, "someone who can make me tea with sammiches".

[Kyanbu The Legend]

It's interesting that almost everyone's reaction to an android is "killer death machine" as opposed to, say, "someone who can make me tea with sammiches".

But killer death machines are cool.

[Premmy]

It's interesting that almost everyone's reaction to an android is "killer death machine" as opposed to, say, "someone who can make me tea with sammiches".

Tea, with sammiches..... OF DEATH!

[Wigmund]

Because inevitably one of those creations will develop it's own mind and go "Why the fuck am I serving tea and sandwiches?"

And then we'll all die.