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The central problem with this idea is noise and creepiness. Nobody wants a noisy robot, and roboticists tend to produce creepy ones. Both problems might be solv

The central problem with this idea is noise and creepiness. Nobody wants a noisy robot, and roboticists tend to produce creepy ones. Both problems might be solvable, but I think robotics tends to focus on the technical problems at the exclusion of the aesthetics. It's definitely a startup idea.

bitdivision 9y ago
Do you mean acoustic noise? Both noise and aesthetics are far simpler problems to solve than autonomous learning. I don't think there's much of a market for realistic, quiet robots until the central problem has been solved.
grzm 9y ago
What you're describing are separate concerns that I'm sure will be addressed before they're brought to market. Currently they're focussed on getting the robot to be able to learn from example. Spending a lot of time on aesthetics at the expense of getting the learning to work doesn't make sense at this point. You're exactly right that they're focussing on the technical problems: that's what needs to be solved. Once it works as expected, then they can focus on improving the aesthetics. A startup that focussed on making robots that look good but aren't effective at accomplishing tasks would likely have a very limited market.
- sillysaurus3 9y ago
  Yeah, fair enough. I was thinking that BigDog was an example of this that works today, but the military passed on it because it was too noisy. But it didn't really do anything but move around.
enraged_camel 9y ago
That's because the aesthetics are relatively easy to improve once the difficult technical problems are solved. We're still in the research phase, so polish isn't important (unless perhaps if giving a demo to an outside investor who isn't tech-savvy).
Herodotus38 9y ago
I wouldn't mind a creepy, noisy robot if it did the chores for me while I was at work and away from the house. I would be more concerned about safety with small children. Mine often find unpredictable ways to injure themselves with inert small objects, so I would imagine the possibilities with a larger, moving machine would be larger.
drzaiusapelord 9y ago
I wouldn't consider this creepy. https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XV2kBAa21cI8yKgmfm90EwYalA0=/0x71:1111x775/1200x800/filters:focal(489x200:693x404)/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52599249/Retail___Dept_Store_B_rev2.0.jpeg https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XV2kBAa21cI8yKgmfm90EwYalA0... Nor these: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/2b/87/e5/2b87e56348a9ec95296fd303206c96b2.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/2b/87/e5/2b87e5634... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2e/a5/fc/2ea5fc68bc944d6d15aba9ac1be26cc3.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2e/a5/fc/2ea5... https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/gfx/news/hires/2016/11-robotsatcent.jpg https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/gfx/news/hire... https://cdn.thisiswhyimbroke.com/images/kuri-home-robot1.jpg https://cdn.thisiswhyimbroke.com/images/kuri-home-robot1.jpg
- wst_ 9y ago
  Have you saw them working in real life? Can't say about others but the first one is, maybe not creepy, rather looks like fake and cheap. Usually standing in one place, stuttering movement, etc. I don't want to say it is worthless. You have to start somewhere. But we are far away from the smooth and immediate reactions.
- Razengan 9y ago
  Has anyone asked WHY robots NEED to have humanoid bodies? I can see the case for familiarity, especially for robotic pets and attendants for children, but the human body and its limbs are the result of millions of years of evolution, in conditions that don't exist or apply anymore. It had to adapt to being born naked and having to grow up, possibly on its own, and feeding itself and fending for itself... I mean, consider wheels vs. legs. You don't see the former anywhere in nature, but it's the most efficient mode of locomotion in human society. Why aren't we exploring more efficient robotic bodies that would also be easier to program? Say, a rotating trunk-like body with multiple octopus-like tentacles with suckers instead of fingers. Just an idea. Or a robot that is actually a swarm of ant-like machines.
  - animal531 9y ago
    There will be useful cases for robots of all body types. BUT we humans have created a humanoid world where the human form makes sense. As such we'll need robots that mimic that for certain functions. For example wheels, they're easier to do that legs (by far) but gets stuck on cables, carpets and stairs.
VLM 9y ago
People with central air handlers find the creaking and snapping of radiator heating very creepy, whereas radiator people find the whoooooosh of air handlers creepy. Kitchen appliances randomly and insistently beeping would likely have totally freaked out an ancestor just 200 years ago. The idea of voices and pictures of humans coming out of boxes was initially kinda disturbing. To say nothing of the sound of car vs horse.
randomdata 9y ago
Several of the robots around my home (dishwasher, washing machine, etc.) make noise, and I already accept them. If another robot adds value, even with noise or creepiness, I cannot imagine rejecting it over those concerns.

bitdivision 9y ago

Do you mean acoustic noise? Both noise and aesthetics are far simpler problems to solve than autonomous learning. I don't think there's much of a market for realistic, quiet robots until the central problem has been solved.

grzm 9y ago

What you're describing are separate concerns that I'm sure will be addressed before they're brought to market. Currently they're focussed on getting the robot to be able to learn from example. Spending a lot of time on aesthetics at the expense of getting the learning to work doesn't make sense at this point. You're exactly right that they're focussing on the technical problems: that's what needs to be solved. Once it works as expected, then they can focus on improving the aesthetics. A startup that focussed on making robots that look good but aren't effective at accomplishing tasks would likely have a very limited market.

sillysaurus3 9y ago
Yeah, fair enough. I was thinking that BigDog was an example of this that works today, but the military passed on it because it was too noisy. But it didn't really do anything but move around.

enraged_camel 9y ago

That's because the aesthetics are relatively easy to improve once the difficult technical problems are solved. We're still in the research phase, so polish isn't important (unless perhaps if giving a demo to an outside investor who isn't tech-savvy).

Herodotus38 9y ago

I wouldn't mind a creepy, noisy robot if it did the chores for me while I was at work and away from the house. I would be more concerned about safety with small children. Mine often find unpredictable ways to injure themselves with inert small objects, so I would imagine the possibilities with a larger, moving machine would be larger.

drzaiusapelord 9y ago

I wouldn't consider this creepy. https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XV2kBAa21cI8yKgmfm90EwYalA0=/0x71:1111x775/1200x800/filters:focal(489x200:693x404)/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/52599249/Retail___Dept_Store_B_rev2.0.jpeg https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XV2kBAa21cI8yKgmfm90EwYalA0... Nor these: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/2b/87/e5/2b87e56348a9ec95296fd303206c96b2.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/2b/87/e5/2b87e5634... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2e/a5/fc/2ea5fc68bc944d6d15aba9ac1be26cc3.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/2e/a5/fc/2ea5... https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/gfx/news/hires/2016/11-robotsatcent.jpg https://3c1703fe8d.site.internapcdn.net/newman/gfx/news/hire... https://cdn.thisiswhyimbroke.com/images/kuri-home-robot1.jpg https://cdn.thisiswhyimbroke.com/images/kuri-home-robot1.jpg

wst_ 9y ago
Have you saw them working in real life? Can't say about others but the first one is, maybe not creepy, rather looks like fake and cheap. Usually standing in one place, stuttering movement, etc. I don't want to say it is worthless. You have to start somewhere. But we are far away from the smooth and immediate reactions.
Razengan 9y ago
Has anyone asked WHY robots NEED to have humanoid bodies? I can see the case for familiarity, especially for robotic pets and attendants for children, but the human body and its limbs are the result of millions of years of evolution, in conditions that don't exist or apply anymore. It had to adapt to being born naked and having to grow up, possibly on its own, and feeding itself and fending for itself... I mean, consider wheels vs. legs. You don't see the former anywhere in nature, but it's the most efficient mode of locomotion in human society. Why aren't we exploring more efficient robotic bodies that would also be easier to program? Say, a rotating trunk-like body with multiple octopus-like tentacles with suckers instead of fingers. Just an idea. Or a robot that is actually a swarm of ant-like machines.
- animal531 9y ago
  There will be useful cases for robots of all body types. BUT we humans have created a humanoid world where the human form makes sense. As such we'll need robots that mimic that for certain functions. For example wheels, they're easier to do that legs (by far) but gets stuck on cables, carpets and stairs.

VLM 9y ago

People with central air handlers find the creaking and snapping of radiator heating very creepy, whereas radiator people find the whoooooosh of air handlers creepy. Kitchen appliances randomly and insistently beeping would likely have totally freaked out an ancestor just 200 years ago. The idea of voices and pictures of humans coming out of boxes was initially kinda disturbing. To say nothing of the sound of car vs horse.

randomdata 9y ago

Several of the robots around my home (dishwasher, washing machine, etc.) make noise, and I already accept them. If another robot adds value, even with noise or creepiness, I cannot imagine rejecting it over those concerns.