The Chinese contribution to the creepy robot parade
By Barb Dybwad 
posted Apr 25th 2005 6:30AM
posted Apr 25th 2005 6:30AM
Chinese scientists have developed a robot that makes body movements and appropriate facial expressions, to be used in preschool classrooms to help kids with rudimentary knowledge development. Named "Baizhixing" ("smart star"), the little 35 cm tall robot is intentionally cartoonish and animal-like so as to be more readily accepted by young children. Under the overalls, Baizhixing integrates control systems, mechanical structures, speech synthesis and scalable networking technologies. Is it just us, or does this little guy look like an aging, pudgy, and stoned version of Jen the Gelfling?
It looks more like the love child of Miss. Piggy and Ron Howard
That's what happened to Jen after the Dark Crystal, she became a crack addict and starred in D-List celebrity reality tv shoes.
Oh the shame.
kinda looks like a weird animal cousin of topo gigio.
http://yukazine.com/journal/archives/topogigio.jpg
"Rudimentary"?
Haven't these guys seen Chuky?
"redimentary" knowledge development??? Perhaps this little guy could teach spelling. Sorry guys - I wouldn't have pointed it out if it wasn't amusingly ironic.
Robots teaching our children.. it's happening..
A blonde robot built in China, by Chinese developers! What is it about a short blonde that would make it more appealing to children?
I didn't think it was possible for me to be more afraid of the Chinese, and now this comes out.
I bet the kids would REALLY pay attention if they modeled the robot after the Skeksis. Man, I loved the Dark Crystal.
It's a Jap version of an old man looking Gremlin.
www.geekBlue.net
Looks like Chucky's fat uncle.
Finally! An ugly-ass robot. About time there was equality in this scary biz...
Say, I think I've seen this exact toy at Target - can't remember the name - starts with a 'Q' I think. Animatronic and tells stories or something.