Dancing Robot

[ysabetwordsmith]

This dancing robot demonstrates a number of impressive features.  First, you can see its resemblance to the famous cheetahbot, where the legs are almost identical but the body is much slimmer.  The motion has become more articulated and graceful, with swiveling movements.  Second, the addition of a head on a long neck resembles that of a heron, which tucks into an S-shape when not needed but can extend quite far to give the robot a better view.  It's not quite what I'd call "cute" yet, but it's much more elegant, much more functional, and a great deal less scary.  \o/ 

Comments

[technoshaman]

This was all over the net today.

Some wags were saying, gonna take over the entertainment industry, too?

I'm like, filk is _best_ served *live*...

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> This was all over the net today.

Some wags were saying, gonna take over the entertainment industry, too? <<

I doubt they'll take over, but could become an interesting adjunct.

>> I'm like, filk is _best_ served *live*...<<

Which is great for people in areas they have it, but not for those elsewhere. One of the nice things about recorded entertainment is the widespread availability. The downside, of course, is that it seems to discourage most people from doing their own.

Re: Thoughts

[siliconshaman]

That's what live-streaming is for...

Re: Thoughts

[technoshaman]

SJ Tucker, among others, has been doing a good compromise... there is a site called ConcertWindow (and it's not the only one, StreetJelly and even Facebook let you do live streaming; the first two sites have tip jars built in) that lets you stream live video to a distributed audience and get feedback and interaction via a group chat window... ConcertWindow will let you download highlights for later promotions.... you get most of the benefits of live music without having to load up, load in, load out, pay venues and crew, etc etc etc... Yes, there's no direct interaction, and I think that's what's going to keep people trekking to Ohio for a Long Time... heck, I go as much or more for the hugs and conversation as the music itself.

AND the advent of GoPros, iPhones, drones, hi-zoot laptops with media editing suites, and the like, people aren't just doing their own, they're publishing it, with results every bit as good as a rock supergroup. (Link is to "Appalachia Burning" by Tuatha Dea, an up-and-coming ... faerie bluegrasspunk? band out of Gatlinburg...)

I think we're seeing... a weird dichotomy. I think the average joe *is* being isolated into his own little echo-chambery box... but I think there are more and more people like you and me who create *connection* and *community* with our keyboards, and who *do* gather together once in a while...

I'm reasonably certain that if there aren't more people outside of Puget Sound that I could walk up and hug without having to ask than there are _in_ this area, it's awfully close.

Re: Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> AND the advent of GoPros, <<

Sometimes useful, but often the view is downright nauseating it shakes so much.

>> iPhones, drones, <<

So off-putting to me it kills my interest in otherwise appealing topics. The ubiquitous surveillance is driving me bugfuck.

>> hi-zoot laptops with media editing suites <<

Useful if people can handle them capably.

>> I think the average joe *is* being isolated into his own little echo-chambery box... <<

Painfully true.

>> but I think there are more and more people like you and me who create *connection* and *community* with our keyboards, and who *do* gather together once in a while... <<

Well, I try. I have much more success online than in person, these days.

Re: Thoughts

[technoshaman]

Well, I try. I have much more success online than in person, these days.

And that is perfectly valid. Community is the important part, regardless of which dimension it's in.

[siliconshaman]

BTW, that's not just a head, it's also a hand/arm combo... allowing it to open doors and handle things. But you're right, just add googly eyes!

I still think robo-twerking is a bit weird though...

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> BTW, that's not just a head, it's also a hand/arm combo... allowing it to open doors and handle things. But you're right, just add googly eyes! <<

I noticed that it had a "mouth" that could open. Doesn't look good for opening doors, but might be able to pick up things. It does seem to have a camera there, which is also useful.

To make something "cute" you need a soft look, with curves. Compare this to the original cheetahbot and you can see how much sleeker it looks, starting to develop the smooth lines that make it less scary.

Honestly, I would go with big camera eyes on the head. They do add bulk, but unless you're building a rescue bot it's a good tradeoff just to make people like the damn thing enough to renew your funding. The cheetahbot has a face that only a geek could love.

>> I still think robo-twerking is a bit weird though... <<

Yeah, but it accomplishes two things:

1) Shows off the badass engineering that is now much more flexible than the earlier version.

2) Makes it appealing and relatable to ordinary people who can't simply look at that thing and know why to be impressed.

[satsuma]

Aw I always thought cheetabot was cute! bigdog’s backwards legs always got me a bit though (bigdog was their rough terrain/pack mule prototype)

Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I think we see the cheetahbot as cute because we're thinking of it as a baby robot. We see not just what it is now, but what it could become. So the clunkiness is cute in the way that a fawn tottering around is cute. That the cheetahbot can actually run with that clunky torso is impressive.

This is a bit different than humans thinking "cute" about everything with soft curves and big eyes, the "babylike" facial features. There are ways to make robots that kind of cute, which is very popular in Japan.

Re: Well ...

[satsuma]

Also that a lot of the tests are things like ‘how does the robot respond to being unexpectedly pushed?’ Probably helps because it puts you in a protective mindset.

On a similar note, I saw an article a few weeks back about how the company that makes roomba’s was forced to start a ‘repair and return’ program instead of the usual ‘scrap and replace’ model that tech companies often go for, because people got attached to their own roombas. So score one for the enviroment thanks to overdeveloped packbonding instincts!

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

*laugh* Saw that coming. My parents have one; it's round and smooth and wanders around like a blind cat.

Years ago, Suzette Haden Elgin wrote a science fiction poem about robots designed to help elders, which had humanlike shapes. People naturally got attached to these.

So the company changed the next model to look like a broom.

Re: Well ...

[satsuma]

Yeah roombas really do check a lot of ‘small cute animal’ boxes, presumably mostly intentionally - they did want them to sell aftee all - so I see no problem with them having to face the consequences :D

Hah! A brooms probably pretty safe, as far as not getting attached goes. Though the lack of appendages would limit function quite a bit....

Re: Well ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Yeah roombas really do check a lot of ‘small cute animal’ boxes, presumably mostly intentionally - they did want them to sell aftee all - so I see no problem with them having to face the consequences :D <<

Not just sell, but be used without causing problems. Robots that work closely with humans have to look acceptable -- that is, not trigger atavistic fears. Most people don't want to be around something that looks like a big spider, for instance.

>> Hah! A brooms probably pretty safe, as far as not getting attached goes. Though the lack of appendages would limit function quite a bit.... <<

I thought about that, and figured it either had retractable arms or force beams or something like that.

[pronker]

That's one neat companion, servant, pet, or whatever. The shape of the legs suggests muscles' rondeur and that's comforting, not so linear as other robots.