Korea to test 1,000 remote-controlled domestic robots

Some of you laughed at South Korea's bellicose and seemingly unrealistic plans for 100% robot market penetration by 2020, but we wouldn't rule 'em out. Especially not since the Ministry of Information and Communication, which originally made said claim, will begin placing 1,000 wheeled, cell-phone controlled automatons -- dubbed URCs, or ubiquitous robotic companions -- into households and kindergartens this fall as a trial run for new robot technologies. The URCs will do the usual handling of domestic tasks as we might expect (and some we might not have seen coming, like cleaning rooms and reading books to children), as well the usual hanging out, taking care of pets (the real kind), and perform a little light sentry duty. The only thing at all disconcerting about any of this is the fact that unlike normal household droids, these URCs will be operated wirelessly from a central computing center ala I, Robot. Even though central robot behavior processing is what will supposedly get get the cost down to between $1,000  and $2,000 for one of these units, you'll never know exactly what your URC phoning home to the Ministry of Information and Communication about.

[Via GoRobotics]

[dario @ Jul 2nd 2006 3:19AM]

first they put them in every home. then they will make them destroy us!! good plan to take over countries!!!

I for one welcome our robot overlords. :-P

[skmetal7 @ Jul 2nd 2006 3:39AM]

one word... creepy

[markoff_C @ Jul 2nd 2006 3:55AM]

i, for one, [insert cliche here]

[Dante @ Jul 2nd 2006 4:31AM]

2 words: Uncanny Valley

[Mark @ Jul 2nd 2006 7:30AM]

I for one welcome our new Korean robot masters.

[Jow Blow @ Jul 2nd 2006 7:44AM]

OH well and watch insurace premiums rise even higher for more useless toys.
Are people this lazy?

Basically we are going to become mechanical beings. They will have to prove that the new body is better then a human husk cell by cell. Once people except it then we live forever and maybe no more crime and disease I guess.

[PMX @ Jul 2nd 2006 8:04AM]

So, 1000 wheeled, camera-bearing robots in people's hoses, all remote-controlled by the Ministry of Information...? Sign me up!

[PMX @ Jul 2nd 2006 8:05AM]

Er... I meant "houses" :P

[Moody Kassem @ Jul 2nd 2006 8:35AM]

wow.....

[Butler @ Jul 2nd 2006 9:25AM]

Anyone watch Dr Who. Sounds like the Cybermen!!
Everybody hide, they're comming to get you

[Pervey Pete @ Jul 2nd 2006 9:29AM]

I hope they'll be using the self-lubricating stuff like in those new hard drives!

[David Muszynski @ Jul 2nd 2006 9:37AM]

That one in the picture is pretty hot, I wonder if she's like Jude Laws character in AI. ;-)

[uclatommy @ Jul 2nd 2006 10:23AM]

can i transfer my brain into a robot yet?

[Dave @ Jul 2nd 2006 11:37AM]

The picture here on Engadget is misleading; you still can't own a cross-eyed Asian Barbie-bot love slave, and certainly not for $2000. Here's a pic of the actual toaster involved:

http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/yyy/kt2200510261952080robot.jpg

[Shunnabunich @ Jul 2nd 2006 11:53AM]

Jow Blow: I don't see why becoming robotic or cybernetic would cut down on crime; a few of the crimes might have to change (i.e. not all of us would be built equal, so there would be a guaranteed spot for a new black body parts market), but there would still be human minds driving those machines, fallacies and all.

PMX: O_O I don't want a remote-controlled bot in MY hose, thank you very much! ;P (Especially not one with wheels and cameras, haha)

uclatommy: LOL, INTERNET

[technophile42 @ Jul 2nd 2006 12:27PM]

Creepy...

South Korean's must really trust their Ministry of Information an Communication...can't say I would be nearly as comfortable with the FCC controlling robot in my home or in my kid's classroom.

[T_bone @ Jul 2nd 2006 12:58PM]

Okay so imagine you get one of these droids in your house. And its really cool and does all kinds of stuff. But then, its time to go to sleep at night. And you have this thing running around the house, awake, autonomous, with access to your knife drawer.
I could see lots of men buying a somewhat more advanced model for er a "companion". For now though I still need a roomba.
Oh and whats crazy is how easily people will be able to hack these things to commit crimes like murder later. It might sound far-fetched but we ARE talking about remote controlled robots inside your home being controlled by some government agency, I used to think THAT was far-fetched.

[Rick Bowman @ Jul 2nd 2006 3:02PM]

No worries.. parts probably made in China, break within a month

[Emceay @ Jul 2nd 2006 4:42PM]

Jow Blow what?
My god, extortion for cybernetics viruses would be rampant. Cybercrime would extend to include bank robberies. Cyborgs could be registered weapons due to increased strengh and non-fleshy parts. Tell ya what though, I'd be first in line as long as I can keep my penis.

[Uchiha Hideki @ Jul 3rd 2006 1:13AM]

C-H-O-B-I-T-S..........I want "chii" to be my persocon. "Let me be with you......ooh ooh, ooh ooh, yeah...."

[weaszel @ Jul 3rd 2006 10:44AM]

"robot penetration"...

[spezz @ Jul 3rd 2006 3:12PM]

I got your robot penetration right here:

http://www.scarytoyclown.com/?p=61

[Tom @ Jul 3rd 2006 7:09PM]

One of these things is going to run over a small child.

[number40one @ Sep 28th 2006 8:43PM]

Robo-puppy preparing to lick cheek! Robo-puppy commencing cheek licking! Licking in progress! Licking complete!

[number40one @ Sep 29th 2006 1:12AM]

"Robo-puppy preparing to lick cheek! Robo-puppy commencing cheek licking! Licking in progress! Licking complete!"