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23 Aug 2011 21:39

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Tech: The LA Times’ latest headline scares the crap out of us

  • Despite the relatively benign story, everything about this–the headline, the positioning of the robot’s arms, the fact that the robot has its own Twitter account–has us doubting humankind’s continued reign of dominance on Earth. “I’m semi-autonomous,” Robonaut 2 (or “R2”) tweeted. “I require ground control, but I can also respond to my environment within controlled specifications.” Yeah, well, you say “controlled specifications,” we hear “I, Robot.” source

25 Jun 2011 15:09

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Politics: Obama announces robotics initiative, makes awesome robot joke

  • You might not know this, but one of my responsibilities as commander-in-chief is to keep an eye on robots. And I’m pleased to report that the robots you manufacture here seem peaceful. At least for now.
  • President Barack Obama • Speaking at Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center yesterday. About robots. The president plans to launch an initiative that will invest $70 million on robotics, so if these robots rise up and kill their creators, it’s his fault. Just sayin’. source

21 Apr 2011 14:41

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World: TEPCO releases Fukushima Daiichi footage shot by robots

  • What’s it look like inside Fukushima Daiichi? Well, at least some of it looks like this, This footage from TEPCO shows a couple of robots that are working in one reactor — even though it’s not especially illuminating from an information standpoint, it’s yet very haunting footage. source

09 Dec 2010 22:27

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04 Jun 2010 01:18

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U.S.: Did BP get a cap on that pipe that caused the oil spill?

  • yes The robots successfully got the pipe capped off, after many trying days and one stuck diamond saw.
  • but Unfortunately, it may not be enough to stop the spill, even temporarily. It’s too soon to tell. souce

03 Jun 2010 10:31

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U.S.: Did BP finally get their stupid robots to cut that stupid pipe?

  • YES but only after they got
    stuck for a while source

11 Jan 2010 09:39

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Offbeat: Creepy people, shut-ins impressed by Roxxxy the Sex Robot

We know that girl just barely got her head in there, but if we cut any lower we risked showing Roxxxy the Sex Robot sitting in an unladylike position. Sorry. source
 

10 Nov 2009 21:06

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Tech: Roomba Pac-Man is officially the nerdiest thing ever

  • Someone with more time on their hands somehow made a fully-functioning Roomba-based version of Pac-Man. Laugh now, but when these Roombas are human-sized and get a taste for human blood, you won’t be laughing anymore.source

05 Aug 2009 11:23

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Offbeat, Tech: Robots beat humans at hand-eye coordination. We’re scared.

  • Sure, you think this is awesome now, but just wait until this robot’s cold, metallic hand is wrapped around your neck while the other is slapping you silly. We predict a violent robot uprising. (Julius, however, won’t be involved.)source

26 Jul 2009 10:58

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Tech: We’re living the plot of a movie where robots overtake humans

  • Something new has taken place in the past five to eight years. Technologists are replacing religion, and their ideas are resonating in some ways with the same idea of the Rapture.
  • Eric Horvitz • A Microsoft researcher who is also president of Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. Horvitz is talking like one of those crazy scientists who eventually gets killed by a robot in a bad science-fiction movie, which explains why he’s heading up a conference on whether humans should limit artificial intelligence for robots so that the robots don’t overtake their masters. Our friends at Inevitable Rise of the Machines have long been warning us of this fact. • source