From Mercury News: Dino-robot is new toy by Furby creator
“People are in love with robots, but the feedback we have is people need to have a more engaging relationship with their products,” said Bob Christopher, chief executive of Ugobe. “They want to treat something like a pet. So we need robots that show and feel emotion and that evolve over time.”
The $200 Pleo dinosaur promises to one-up Chung’s earlier creation. While Furby had two computer brains, Pleo will have seven computer brains that control 14 motors and 38 sensors. Christopher says the combination of intelligence, precision movement and personality will make Pleo a believable, lifelike pet.
“This robot is going to have organic movement, so that it seems to move and behave like something real,” Christopher said.
From the Ugobe press release (pdf):
Pleo features include
– 14 servo joints (torso, head, tail, neck, legs) with force feedback
– 38-touch, sound, light and tilt sensors including nine touch sensors (mouth, chest, head, shoulders, back, feet) and 8 feet and toe sensors
– Fluid quadruped motion
– Ability to avoid obstacles and not walk off edges
– Sound output, stereo sound sensors and music beat detection
– Autonomous interaction with owner and environment including coughing, blinking eyes, chomping, twitching, sighing, sneezing, sniffing, growling stomach, tail drift, and yawning
– Distinct moods including anger, boredom, playfulness, hunting, cautious, cuddling, disgust, disorientation, distress, fear, curiosity, joy, sorrow, surprise, fatigue, hunger, and a desire for social interaction
MSRP: $200
A somewhat less disturbing, and probably more realistic picture of the Pleo can be found here.
The Roboraptor might look cooler, but its nothing more than a suped up remote controlled car.
I hate to confuse you but “stone age” usually refers to the age when man first appeared on earth. Dinosaurs died off hundreds of millions of years before the stone age.
Well, of course. I was trying to make a pun off the Flintstones theme song, which is also inaccurate. I guess I should just stop trying with the clever titles.
Leave the puns to those of us who know how to make them. I mean Bob sounds like he’s a good judge of puns.
‘Ripsa! Meet Eripsa!
He’s a modern, douchebag Inter-geek!
From-a California,
He loves his sweet pornography!
Let’s go surfing through his Inter-blog.
Through the smoke and Mary J. fog.
When your with Eripsa,
You’ll have an awkward moment.
Two awkward moments.
You’ll have a gay-wad time!