robot-alert!

A US place did research into the chemicals injected into your bloodstream when you interact with pets. Similar chemicals are created by robot pets as with real furry pets.

n a recent study at the University of Missouri, for example, levels of the stress hormone cortisol dropped among adults who, for several minutes, petted AIBO, Sony's dog-shaped robot that responds when stroked, chases a ball and perks up when it hears a familiar voice. That's the same reaction live dogs get. Unlike real dogs, though, AIBO didn't prompt increases in "good" body chemicals such as oxytocin and endorphins.

As an added plus, with robotic pets you don't have to walk around with little bags of poo in your pocket. link

A Slovenian technologist/artist called Pavle Sedlacek has created the ultimate accessory for the beggar of the future - the "robot for the materially deprived", which pesters passers-by for spare change on behalf of its controller. Sedlacek even designed the bot to suit the more frugal roboticist...."The robot for the materially deprived is constructed entirely from old computer hardware and a few spare parts that can be obtained at no cost. Computers are nowadays more or less treated as basic home equipment and cultural code, no longer reserved for a few privileged individuals as a technology."

[via engadget]

Some propaganda films to teach you about robots.

Be sure to check out this video (12 MB mov file) from 1st Ave Machine predicting a happy and peaceful robot-filled future for NYC, or this one (9 MB mp4, will play with quicktime) of a wooden hippie robot that's ready for a hacky sack and a drum circle.

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This might not be such a bad idea actually... electronic lawyers instead of real ones.

Using e-Dispute, claimants and respondents can put their case before an independent online arbitrator (or "robot agent") who having reviewed the case will then set up a meeting between the two parties via chatrooms and video conferencing, at which possible binding settlements can be reached.

"Robot agents digest all the information and make proposals to the parties. Once the arbitrator is agreed upon, the robot agent finds a suitable meeting date for everybody," said Jacques Gouimenou, managing director of Tiga Technologies, the company behind e-Dispute.

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