Wednesday, April 10, 2002

Robot Comfort

While out securing Brad (the new tree) yesterday, I was also prowling for my nieces' fifth birthday.

This little Taurine has always been cool to shop for... not much opportunity to go to the toy section before she was born.

Courtesy of Reader Rabbit and constant computer exposure since before she could crawl, she reads on a sixth grade level.

With her it is usually an educational game and then a cool toy.

I exhausted the Reader Rabbit line last fall when I sent the third grade CD up as early Christmas.

So I am casting about for something new. I picked up Newton's Quest grade four.

Then I hit the less serious section. The Matchbox trick motorcycle set was appealing and she did dig the Matchbox car city from Christmas two years ago... but then I was distracted by these cool robot dogs named Aibo.

A little more than I wanted to spend, but they reminded me of the interactive Pooh Bear robot that was her second Christmas present. It played counting and word games, called her by name and could be updated with more advanced programming. A companion for an only child with an insidious learning agenda. Not at all like the Mr. Wiggles the unrehabilitated Teddy Bear.

I thought about the dogs some more, but passed them up for a Max-D 2000 Super Soaker. Strikingly similar to the Fabrique Nationale P90, it is smaller for small hands and all Texas girls need guns.

Don't get me wrong, the dog was cool. But my niece has had a real dog and I think at her age it is better to experience the care required in nurturing another life. Plus -- it is one heck of a squirt gun.

So it was interesting today to read about Aibo being taken to nursing homes.

"The robotic dogs were brought to Rosewalk by researchers at Indiana's Purdue University as part of a pilot project to determine whether robots can make people happier."

"Alan M. Beck, a professor at Purdue and director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at the university's veterinary school, said one possible benefit may be better socialization."

Why not? Interaction is interaction -- even if it is with a machine.

posted by Bohica at 1:52 PM