Video: Freaky deaky semi-lifelike talking robot head
posted at 7:39 pm on April 12, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Just something to clear the air from race-grievance theater. Still a lot of bugs to be worked out before we arrive at “Westworld,” but we’re on our way — insh’allah, as a BBC reporter might say.
Interesting that they gave the device a young female appearance. Japanese Fembot was also young and (naturally) femme.
Must be a coincidence.
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Her face is more lifelike than Greta Van sustren’s!
lorien1973 on April 12, 2007 at 7:54 PM
Need to work on the voice/motion sync there…
jeffshultz on April 12, 2007 at 7:59 PM
Man, that was awful.
I think the fake Einstein and Fembot were better. Well, maybe this one has more complex motion than Fembot, but it’s jerky and out-of-sync.
The double-voice thing makes it look worse than it is, but it’s bad. I turned off the sound and it still looked pretty un-lifelike.
Actually, I think the muppets on Farscape were better (mind you their actuators were controlled by human hands).
It definitely needs more facial actuators and smoother movement (damping).
Merovign on April 12, 2007 at 8:06 PM
West World
hee hee again showin yer age or geekiness AP
does any one realize they are remaking that movie right now opening 2009?
-Wasteland Man.
WastelandMan on April 12, 2007 at 8:10 PM
there remaking Logan’s run too
yeesh…
-Wasteland Man.
WastelandMan on April 12, 2007 at 8:14 PM
Allah! We need an open thread. Michelle is absolutely awesome on O’Reilly right now. Slaughtering this hip-hop defender.
IrishEi on April 12, 2007 at 8:16 PM
Logan’s run made no sense. What was up with the ice caves? How did the robot get there – what was up with that? It was all so confusing and nonsensical after they left the city.
West World was kinda the same way. Plot holes and silliness – but a much better movie. West world 2 sucked bad though.
Did any movie in the 70’s actually have a coherent plot, come to think about it?
lorien1973 on April 12, 2007 at 8:18 PM
To me, Crichton’s best robot movie is Runaway. Magnum P.I. vs. Gene Simmons in a near-future battle royale with cheese.
ScottMcC on April 12, 2007 at 8:29 PM
I don’t know, she’s kinda cute. When are they gonna work on the lower parts? I think the heads probably the least important section.
Max Power on April 12, 2007 at 8:30 PM
Is she single?
Kevin M on April 12, 2007 at 8:32 PM
I didn’t wanna post that first. My comments for the past 2 days have all been about boobs! LOL
lorien1973 on April 12, 2007 at 8:32 PM
$50 says they’re escaping some kind of religious cult city rather than a socialist one.
“FISH! PLANKTON!…”
jummy on April 12, 2007 at 8:38 PM
Wow, he’s totally cheating. Could he have that conversation without touching the keyboard in between each of her statements?
Kevin M on April 12, 2007 at 8:45 PM
I was waiting for her voice to go flat and start shrieking “Ex-ter-min-ate! Ex-ter-min-ate!”
Gottafang on April 12, 2007 at 9:01 PM
I dunno. It was impressive, but I still think we’re a way long way from West World or Terminator. There’s still no articulation; just simulated head-bobbing and programmed audio responses.
Chris L. on April 12, 2007 at 9:20 PM
The articulating has a looong way to go.
Great stuff, except for that “fully alive and aware” part.
SilverStar830 on April 12, 2007 at 9:31 PM
“… teach it to cook and get the f* out!”
Mazztek on April 12, 2007 at 10:08 PM
That used to be my ringtone, but when it frightened a customer I changed it.
- The Cat
P.S. If it were a male head then there would be much running and screaming.
P.S.S. You know very well why.
MirCat on April 12, 2007 at 10:15 PM
She looks stoned. Responds about the same way too. What’s with the echo? Or…am I stoned? Dude!
thedecider on April 12, 2007 at 10:16 PM
Um, yeah. Max Power may be recalling a certain R. Crumb cartoon? Either you remember it or not; it can’t be explained here.
smellthecoffee on April 12, 2007 at 11:37 PM
Put another 300 lbs on that creepy thing and it could replace Rosie O Fat-disgusting-piggo and no one would know the diff. Just hang it upside down, plug in the moonbat talking points, turn the volumn waaaaay up, and vioia’! Rosie could go on another cruise. The only diff would be the difference in smell. It smells like latex and Rosie smells like Spam gelitine.
csdeven on April 12, 2007 at 11:57 PM
Fembots: doing jobs that illegal immigrants, and my wife, won’t do for free.
Bill C on April 13, 2007 at 12:00 AM
AP — best Pryor Referance Award. Loved it. Loved it so much that I’m posting the following re Imus in hopes that you will think it through & maybe start a thread .
So, I think it’s like this. This was the full force of the generation raised to actually believe that the worst thing you can be is a racist, a sexist, or a homophobe (cutting off heads — no problem) getting to show their stuff. Lot’s of these brainwashees now work for NBC/CBS. Imus hit 2 out of three(racist/sexist) — see ya — sad — in so many ways.
CanaryinaCoalMine on April 13, 2007 at 12:06 AM
it said it was a “nexus” model.
I want to see it say: “I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe; attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion…”
Dan866 on April 13, 2007 at 12:28 AM
Did any Sci-Fi movie in the 70’s have a sober audience?
conservativecaveman on April 13, 2007 at 12:36 AM
Amazing! Hey how did they get rid of the nappy hair?
sonnyspats1 on April 13, 2007 at 2:00 AM
The CONCEPT behind West World could make an awesome movie.
Just re-making the original, not so much.
Merovign on April 13, 2007 at 6:25 AM
Do they have to kill the movie because it’s over 30 years old?
James on April 13, 2007 at 7:50 AM
She’s got the Aahnold lip-curl thing down pat!
drunyan8315 on April 13, 2007 at 9:35 AM
There’s a reason for that, unfortunately I can’t recall the right words to find a link that explains better than I can.
For relatively crude animation and robotics, its obvious to the viewer the “person” being modeled isn’t real, so our brain happily suspends disbelief and we “accept” the character and are comfortable with it. As the animation/robot becomes more lifelike, our “comfort” level increases -to a point. As things get too realistic, the brain has more trouble accepting it as artificial, glossing over the imperfections, and starts perceiving it as being real. When perceived as “real” the imperfections are disconcerting or “freaky” because we can’t suspend disbelief very easily. The take-home for animators was, don’t try to make it too lifelike, because short of perfection it will only distance viewers.
Starting from the other end, consider how some people who’ve had plastic surgery or botox treatements can similarly look “freaky”, because our brains are extremely adept at picking up facial “abnormalies” not only in appearance, but in the dynamics of facial movement during speech.
taznar on April 13, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Bring in Harrison Ford with his list of questions and hook up the little eye exam thingy.
Dave Shay on April 13, 2007 at 10:05 AM
Just another talking head.
silenced majority on April 13, 2007 at 12:23 PM
But it sure would give new meaning to the term ‘empty suit.’
James on April 13, 2007 at 12:30 PM
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