Inventor Builds Robot Wife 469
Inventor Le Trung must really like the book "The Stepford Wives," because he has built the dream of every lonely man without hope, a robot wife. Le's wife, Aiko, starts the day by reading him the newspaper headlines and they go for a drives in the countryside. Le says his relationship with Aiko hasn't strayed into the bedroom, but a few tweaks could turn her into a sexual partner, even redesigning her to have a simulated orgasm. *Shudder*
What's wrong with this picture? (Score:2, Insightful)
That's just soo wrong.
Re:Not Japan, Not America (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, his command for her to read Japanese was not actually a Japanese command. It was an English command translated to Japanese (i.e. in English a command is issued with just the uninflected simple non-past verb, whereas it has to be conjugated to form a command--and there are several politeness levels--in Japanese).
What we are seeing here is a creepy foreigner with a creepy Japanese otaku fetish.
Simulated revulsion (Score:5, Insightful)
Shudder? Ick? Oh, please. Don't pretend you haven't thought about it.
I hate people who pretend to be above it all .. it usually turns out that they are actually doing the dirty along with everyone else, they just don't want anyone else to find out about it.
Re:Inspiration..Star Wars robot C3-PO? (Score:5, Insightful)
that part did seem rather awkward. it doesn't help that the article tries to play up the capabilities of the robot.
right... how does she get him a drink or clean the house without being able to walk? i don't see any wheels attached to her in any of the photos. typical media sensationalism...
this story seems to be more hype than substance. it's just a creepy nerd who's added speakers and some actuators to his Real Doll(tm). i don't see any technology demonstrated here that hasn't already existed in some form or another in various children's toys from the 80's and 90's.
i mean, does /. really have nothing better to put up on the front page than fluff pieces from The Sun [thesun.co.uk]? this kind of tripe might impress technologically illiterate housewives, but it doesn't belong on a site purportedly aimed at nerds.
Re:I forget the movie or documentary (Score:4, Insightful)
Depends on your definition of "smart".... There are actually smart people out there who aren't autistic and can actually get laid.
Re:I forget the movie or documentary (Score:1, Insightful)
There's also the fact that even dumb people can have smart children. Otherwise, we'd have never worked our way up to human...
Its a fraud (Score:5, Insightful)
Perfect image recognition + perfect handwriting recognition all decoded and read out in real time AND doing the maths too?
Sorry , but this is a fraud - its nothing more than a pre-programmed voice box he's set up beforehand and he then puts the correct thing in front of it at the right time so it looks like its comprehending it. If you don't believe me ask yourself what are the odds that one guy could do with $14K what big corps like IBM have failed to do with hundreds of millions of dollars or research? He's either a fscking genius and has invented algorithms 20 years ahead of their time or he's got some snake oil tucked away just out of camera shot.
Re:Inspiration..Star Wars robot C3-PO? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Inspiration..Star Wars robot C3-PO? (Score:2, Insightful)
Yeah exactly. Its effectively an animatronic sex toy, like some kind of inflatable doll (that's not inflatable). Funny how it doesn't take long, for some human behaviour, to decend to, great, I can make a robot!
So much for noble goals, like robots helping humanity.
Re:I forget the movie or documentary (Score:2, Insightful)
Well, getting laid is smart, yes. Getting pregnant on the other hand...
Re:Its a fraud (Score:3, Insightful)
If you don't believe me ask yourself what are the odds that one guy could do with $14K what big corps like IBM have failed to do with hundreds of millions of dollars or research?
I guess you're not much of a history person, are you? The world is FULL of examples of "one guy in his garage" doing far more than mega-corporations, from aircraft to linux.
Yes it could be a fraud, but your argument is invalid.
Re:Its a fraud (Score:5, Insightful)
The "one guy in his garage" generally invents a new kind of toaster or something , he doesn't solve complicated algorithmic computer problems in multiple fields all at the same time that thousands of other researchers in the field have failed to do.
Oh , and I forgot to mention - it seems to have perfect speech recognition too.
Buy hey, if he's a genius no doubt he'll patent his algos and clean up and within a year we'll all have it on our desktops.
Or maybe not.
Re:Mental Problems (Score:3, Insightful)
This is exactly what I was afraid of. Brainwashing is not a moral act, even though the person clearly "wants" to do something after the program.
If you're brought up to live your relationships in total servitude then that "upbringing" was tantamount to abuse and the relationship isn't right either.
You know, once upon a time, black people were brought up to be slaves. Today, in some parts of the world, women are still brought up to be slaves. Don't argue it's alright because they are consenting adults and clearly "want" it so.
It frightens me that we have to have this discussion again and again, and still doesn't seem to be obvious how fundamental rights are supposed work. Somehow this is still a difficult concept for most people to agree to.
There are some that are hopeless (Score:5, Insightful)
Years ago I would havve mocked this. But the older I get I realize there are many people out there that just don't find someone. There are people that are "hopeless"
They end up crazy cat or dog people but I now can see that a robot wouldn't be any different then a cat or dog that a person bonds with.
I doubt many people would be lining up for the sex upgrade. I've meet some very lonely people (hospic for instance) and it's just the idea that there is someone there, be it a dog, or cat, or I suppose a robot. There are people that truely love their pets and bond with them. From cats, dogs, rats, bats, snakes, horses, goats, ferrits, birds of all sorts, and even fish. I suppose a robot would be no different really.
There are some people that aren't going to find companionship in life. I see quite a few mentally handicapped people in thier 70 and 80 (those that survive some rather barbaric eugenics movements) who never have been on a date. If a robot could have provided them some companionship, so be it.
Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age... but I just can seem to find the energy to mock this stuff anymore. I've seen too many lonley people suffering quietly who could use someone that fits some of the holes in their hearts. And sometimes you just need to hear someone speak to you. Some gaps, no pet can fill.
Re:I forget the movie or documentary (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:There are some that are hopeless (Score:2, Insightful)
I am married, (hopefully not for long), so I have had sex with an inanimate/artificial being for a long time now. I can deal with it. If the sex is better than my supposed wife, I would take that upgrade in half a heartbeat.
Difference is, this would be cheaper than my wife and I wouldnt be told 'no' so often.
Re:There are some that are hopeless (Score:3, Insightful)
It's hope that keeps them going. False hope, but hope none the less. I've see people just start at the door, hoping that some family member will come walking in. I've met a few "basement" dwellers, oddballs, and rejects. I've met some people working for a web dating service (customers) that have been trying for YEARS just to meet someone. They're too fat, too bald, no clumsy, to ugly, too ... something and just won't find anyone. I've seen adults with various mental defects. They'll never marry, date, have kids, nothing... Worse that I remember was a mentally retarded guy who lived with his mom all his life. Worked in the mail room. His mom died and about 3 weeks later he just gave up and died too. I went to his funeral. There were 6 of us there. 4 co-workers, his state provided guardian, and a distant 3rd cousin that came out.
What a fucking way to die... I mean... damn... If a robot could make someone like that happy, shit here's $20 for the cause. No one deserves to die alone. No one. No crook, not Gein, Hitler, not even the devil himself. No one deserves to die alone. Here's an extra $200 if the robot actually cared if he died.
The worst thing is there are soo many people out there crying themselves to sleep alone. It's just sad.. so sad...
That's Ridiculous (Score:3, Insightful)
Every man has a hope for a partner, they just need to get off their ass learn some new skills. Women are attracted to how you hold yourself and not by what you do or how good you look.. Well women worth dating that is.