From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Thu Dec 27 2001 - 19:54:21 MST
A British company unveiled a robot dog to rival AIBO, Fujitsu went open source
with its android and the Japanese government vowed to invest more in robotics
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/story/0,,t269-s2101665,00.html
2001 was a great year for robot lovers, even if experts did caution that
anyone who actually wants to be a robot's lover would be on a pretty sticky
wicket.
A UK-based company designed a robot hound that dwarfed the AIBO, only for Sony
hit back with a new litter of robotic dogs for the consumer market. Meanwhile,
researchers at universities and big businesses made several breakthroughs in
their quest to create an intelligent humanoid android.
Leaving aside robot relationships for a few moments, it was encouraging to see
British start-up RoboScience unveil its first model. Back in March, it
released details of the RS-01 Robodog -- a 68cm-tall, 12kg automated hound
billed as "the world's most powerful, most advanced and largest commercial
legged robot."
--- --- --- --- ---
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, SETI
We move into a better future in proportion as science displaces superstition.
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