Time Magazine reports that Google has designed and patented an "anthropomorphic device" that could take the form of a "doll or toy" and interact both with people as well as tech gadgets echoing the "super toy" teddy bear featured in Stephen Spielberg's 2001 movie AI. This could be one of Google's creepiest patents yet -- especially if movies like "Chuckie" still give you nightmares.
The patent filing diagrams a stuffed teddy bear and a bunny rabbit outfitted with microphones, speakers, cameras and motors as well as a wireless connection to the internet. If it senses you're looking at it, the fuzzy toy will rotate its head and look back at you. Once it receives and recognizes a voice command prompt, you can then tell it to control media devices in your home (e.g. turn on your music or TV). According to the patent filing:
To express interest, an anthropomorphic device may open its eyes, lift its head, and/or focus its gaze on the user or object of its interest. To express curiosity, an anthropomorphic device may tilt its head, furrow its brow, and/or scratch its head with an arm. To express boredom, an anthropomorphic device may defocus its gaze, direct its gaze in a downward fashion, tap its foot, and/or close its eyes. To express surprise, an anthropomorphic device may make a sudden movement, sit or stand up straight, and/or dilate its pupils.
The patent adds that making the device look "cute" should encourage even the youngest members of a family to interact with it. But Mikhail Avady, from SmartUp, said he thought it belonged in "a horror film", and the campaign group Big Brother Watch has also expressed dismay. "When those devices are aimed specifically at children, then for many this will step over the creepy line," says Avady. "Children should be able to play in private and shouldn't have to fear this sort of passive invasion of their privacy."
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday May 24 2015, @03:52AM
It's not creepy if it acts as your BFF and parent.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:09AM
I don't know...seems pretty creepy to me. But then, to me a lot of the things Google is doing the last year or so are getting pretty creepy.
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts"- --Daniel Patrick Moynihan--
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @08:57AM
Yeah, building those homicidal AI sex dolls was a pretty creepy move, even for Google.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday May 24 2015, @03:59AM
Wonkers the Watilla was creepy as hell.
http://tlj.wikia.com/wiki/Wonkers [wikia.com]
http://tlj.wikia.com/wiki/Watilla [wikia.com]
http://www.theaveragegamer.com/wp-content/Screenshots/Dreamfall/Dreamfall%20-%20Wonkers.jpg [theaveragegamer.com]
(Score: 1) by GDX on Sunday May 24 2015, @04:23AM
http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Funzo [wikia.com]
Though I think that is going to be like a Furby on steroids.
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Sunday May 24 2015, @05:08AM
It will be like this [wordpress.com].
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Sunday May 24 2015, @05:13AM
Oh, fuck me, someone did make it. [shopbizshop.com] Did they not watch the fucking movie before deciding they could try to merchandise it? (Moichindising! Where the real money from the movie is made.)
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 1) by anubi on Sunday May 24 2015, @06:43AM
This sure smacks of Teddy Ruxpin [wikipedia.org] upgraded to the latest technology.
Here's a 30-second advertisement for Teddy in case you do not remember him. [youtube.com]
I wonder if the inventors of Teddy Ruxpin get royalties for this? Or is there some loophole in patent law that allows someone to repatent other people's expired patent and restart the legally enforced monopoly all over again.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 2) by cafebabe on Sunday May 24 2015, @09:17AM
Someone else mentioned Teddy Ruxpin in the discussion about sexbots [soylentnews.org]. Is Google sure it wants to get into this market?
1702845791×2
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Sunday May 24 2015, @03:45PM
Yea, but it's NIH - I reckon that Google needs new projects to shutdown 2 years later to stay relevant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by deimtee on Sunday May 24 2015, @08:22AM
"I always do what Teddy says"
- Harry Harrison.
If you cough while drinking cheap red wine it really cleans out your sinuses.
(Score: 2) by aristarchus on Sunday May 24 2015, @09:54AM
Philip K. Dick. Screamers Do not take the teddy bear back with you.
(Score: 2) by darkfeline on Monday May 25 2015, @06:13PM
If you cut out the wireless transmitter, it would be a pretty cool toy. Even moreso if it had an open API/design to allow people to program it with the best personality for their kids. Kid cries a lot? Program it to crawl over to comfort him. Needs more exercise? Program it to play tag or keep-away.
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