The Chinese contribution to the creepy robot parade

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?

[Steve Robillard @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

It looks more like the love child of Miss. Piggy and Ron Howard

[Gav @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

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.

[tr @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

kinda looks like a weird animal cousin of topo gigio.

http://yukazine.com/journal/archives/topogigio.jpg

[Matt @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

"Rudimentary"?

[YAsmIne @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

Haven't these guys seen Chuky?

[Martin the pedant @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

"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.

[brownopher @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

Robots teaching our children.. it's happening..

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

A blonde robot built in China, by Chinese developers! What is it about a short blonde that would make it more appealing to children?

[nick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

I didn't think it was possible for me to be more afraid of the Chinese, and now this comes out.

[Slippy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

I bet the kids would REALLY pay attention if they modeled the robot after the Skeksis. Man, I loved the Dark Crystal.

[Bryce @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

It's a Jap version of an old man looking Gremlin.

www.geekBlue.net

[acidreflux @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

Looks like Chucky's fat uncle.

[clicclic @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

Finally! An ugly-ass robot. About time there was equality in this scary biz...

[lemel42 @ Dec 19th 2005 1:20AM]

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.