This news story brings us word of a new robot developed by Japanese researchers. The latest in interactive robotics, the only thing it can do is create expressions when it recognizes various keywords.
The author of the Reuters article seems to take great delight in pointing out that the robot is programmed to react with fear and disgust when it hears the words “President”, “Bush”, “Iraq” or “war”. Or at least it seems that they are delighted to me. After all, the only word mentioned that brings a positive reaction is “sushi”.
Since the robot is nothing more than a disembodied head, I can’t help but wonder if the researchers programmed it to react in the most negative way to the words “al Qaeda”, “captive” or “militant”. Something tells me that the robot would just sit there and give you a blank stare if you said anything like that in it’s hearing.
After all, the researchers wouldn’t be praised as being “brave” or “daring” if they criticized people who actually sawed innocent people’s heads off.
the robot is programmed to react with fear and disgust when it hears the words “President”, “Bush”, “Iraq” or “war”.
I have a similar reaction when I hear the word “Reuters.”
“programmed to react”…sounds like some people I know…