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I wonder if someday when robot dogs are as affordable and intelligent as biological ones, will the market drop out for biologicals? All the selective breeding f
by mysterydip 5y ago
I wonder if someday when robot dogs are as affordable and intelligent as biological ones, will the market drop out for biologicals? All the selective breeding for hypoallergenic or good behavior is moot if it's programmable. Turn it to guard mode when you leave home, have a cuddle buddy when you're there.
- asah 5y agoAlso, no pooping or vet bills. But awesome security implications.
- juandazapata 5y agoJust the occasional mech bill after some parts replacement.
- f38zf5vdt 5y agoUnlikely. There might be a drop in demand for the breeds used for home defense or herding, but most breeds are recreational and people enjoy the company of other living, breathing things.
- sdesol 5y ago>people enjoy the company of other living, breathing things Can we say the same thing in the future? If a child is given a pet robot will they get bored of it like a toy or will they come to see it as a life long companion?
- f38zf5vdt 5y agoMost Tamagotchis and Furbys had a short lifespan. https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy8axx/the-tamagotchi-cemetery https://www.vice.com/en/article/dy8axx/the-tamagotchi-cemete... The likelihood is that industrialization will turn these toys into things that have short lifespans and are commonly replaced with new models, like phones. Children also have notoriously short attention spans. I think biological pets are more for the sanity of the parents than the children.
- sdesol 5y agoBut these are things that you play with as opposed to what we hope to have in the future which is something that "plays with you". Aka a friend or a guardian of sorts.
- numpad0 5y agoWhen robot dogs become legit intelligent it means it’s time for us to pass the torch to our successors
- pshc 5y agoFor many people a dog is there to be a warm cuddly friend who is excited to see you and loves you. It’s a personal relationship. A robot that does exactly what you program it to do doesn’t hit the same notes.
- hobofan 5y ago> A robot that does exactly what you program it to do doesn’t hit the same notes. Out of all animals, the one that most closely fits the bill of "does exactly what you tell it to do" is dogs, and I would argue that's exactly why it's so popular.
- pshc 5y agoThat’s true, but I’m not sure if obedience is the primary reason for their popularity? I would argue it’s primarily out of love. There are probably a small minority of dog owners who do it solely for the utility, or just to exercise dominance over another animal. Beats me, I’m a cat person. A robocat would be pointless.
- tailspin2019 5y agoI wonder where the line is though, where a sufficiently advanced simulation of this behaviour would actually be enough for some people.
- throwaway675309 5y agoOne could make the case that the carefully cultivated selective breeding of wolves into domesticated dogs over several millennia was just the evolutionary equivalent of digital programming.
- pshc 5y agoOh no, you're right! Humanity is monstrous. Maybe we should start putting the wolf back into the dogs.
- tomp 5y agoMy brother bought a dog (pure bred) for about €1500. Add food & veterinary costs over 10ish years, I’m pretty sure this robot dog is cheaper.