From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Thu Nov 22 2001 - 13:46:34 MST
http://www.time.com/time/2001/inventions/robots/inirobot.html
She's always on time. She never complains. And she's cute too. Meet CoWorker,
the office robot. About 3 ft. high, this Pentium-powered bot uses sonar
sensors to keep her from bumping into walls and people as she rolls along at a
languid one mile an hour. A digital camera perched atop her rotating,
cranelike neck can wirelessly transmit pictures of remote assembly lines,
construction sites or high-security areas straight to the boss. A home
version, tentatively planned for the future, might keep an eye on granny-or
the nanny.
The CoWorker
http://www.irobot.com/home/
The CoWorker is aimed at providing corporations with a web-accessible, mobile
telepresence.
http://www.irobot.com/coworker/default.asp
With the CoWorker, you can have your customers "visit" your facilities, help
telecommuters work more effectively, and let your employees interact and
collaborate between remote locations.
The CoWorker Feature Set
Digitally controlled pan/tilt/zoom camera -- Allows you to see the office from
a whole new angle.
High quality speaker and microphone -- Audio quality lets you carry on a
conversation.
Rugged platform that turns on a dime -- Highly maneuverable & easy to drive.
Makes getting around the office easy.
Ethernet 802.11 LAN radios -- Robust wireless communication.
"You'll learn to like robots. They'll be nicer than human beings."
--Hans Moravec
--- --- --- --- ---
Useless hypotheses, etc.:
consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, Cyc, Eliza, cryonics, individual
uniqueness, ego, human values, scientific relinquishment, malevolent AI,
non-sensory experience
We move into a better future in proportion as science displaces superstition.
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