Bill Gates backs Probo, the huggable children's robot

Bill Gates is known as a lot of things; programmer, philanthropist, visionary... super-nerd. One thing Bill isn't known for is his ability to hug or be hugged, but that could all change with his latest investment in a foundation called Anty. The Belgium-based robotics team are hard at work on a small, badly named robot called Probo; a green, "huggable," ALF-like creature that will be used to interact with kids during medical treatment and hospital stays, where it's hoped the robot will aid in easing children's sometimes-traumatic experiences. The project is being carried out by two teams at the University of Brussels, in conjunction with the Anty group, with the focus on creating a "social robot" emphasizing vision, speech, AI, and intrinsic safety. In a quote attributed to Gates -- who has aggressively invested in children's projects in the past -- the Microsoft founder says "Alongside the technical research possibilities, the prototype will be used to examine the opportunities for using Anty in medical, social and psychological research." When reached for further comment, Gates was said to be "unavailable" due to rampant testing of Probo's "hugging" feature.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[marcus v @ Aug 21st 2007 9:38AM]

that thing looks scary
lol im 1st here

[Magallanes @ Aug 21st 2007 2:01PM]

Alf is back, and not only in pog form.

[tekdroid @ Aug 21st 2007 9:43AM]

many customers need consoling after experiencing Vista and general spyware infestations through the years.

Probo, I love you.

[JS @ Aug 21st 2007 9:48AM]

I dunno about this. The new sidekick still looks a bit like Balmer after a bad meal.

[andrew harrison @ Aug 21st 2007 9:52AM]

anyone else think they look uncannily similar?

[strider_mt2k @ Aug 21st 2007 9:52AM]

Mr. Gates,

You have violated robot rules of order and will be asked to leave the future immediately.

[Clayton @ Aug 21st 2007 9:59AM]

"where it's hoped the robot will aid in easing children's sometimes-traumatic experiences." - is that aid in easing or aid in causing? seriously, just looking into those beady little eyes... [shudders]

[Chicksta @ Aug 21st 2007 10:03AM]

Why on earth would this be better than a real human being to offer reassurance? A stuffed animal is nice and can be comforting, but this seems to want to push it further into a replacement for human interaction. Kids need to develop real social skills, especially if they've been traumatized. They need to be able to learn how to regain trust in people, not feel abandoned by them. They need to feel more connected to people, not less.

[Wwhat @ Aug 21st 2007 12:39PM]

Well after the robot put the kid through extreme and traumatic treatments the kid can throw it in a shredder to achieve closure, can't do that with (western) humans you see.

[Joshua @ Aug 21st 2007 10:07AM]

That poor Snork swallowed a magic 8 ball.
"Outlook not so good"

[L. Cyphre @ Aug 21st 2007 10:11AM]

>"Outlook not so good"
But what about Word?

[JoshKirklin @ Aug 21st 2007 10:07AM]

what do you get when you cross micheal jackson and an elephant? Probo!

[Tezze @ Aug 21st 2007 10:08AM]

How long will it be before someone photoshops the BSOD text onto that things tummy?

[Wwhat @ Aug 21st 2007 12:42PM]

Well the whole picture is already an extremely poor photoshop, making you wonder if gates even knows he endorses this already.
So because of that adding a BSOD wouldn't have that much of a punch.

[narco @ Aug 21st 2007 10:08AM]

I wouldn't give any toy to my children that has THAT nose and is called "Probo."

Fishes,
narco.

[steve @ Aug 21st 2007 11:26AM]

Indeed, any toy related to probing is extremely disturbing

[Matt B @ Aug 21st 2007 11:17AM]

So true!!!

[crapface @ Aug 21st 2007 10:11AM]

Melinda Gates: Bill! There's a horrible problem! Millions of children spend months or years in hospitals and, as a result, never develop appropriate social skills!

Bill Gates: Hmm?

Melinda: We should invest in programs to get college or nursing students to go in a hang out with these kids! Think about it! The kids would be able to develop appropriate social skills and the students would gain valuable experiences as mentors!

Bill: I've got it! Let build robots to play with these kids!

Melinda: Uh... What?

Bill: Yeah! Robots! That way, the kids will learn to interact with the robots they will eventually grow up to serve! And, interacting with people? That's what msn is for, noob!

[Warhorse @ Aug 21st 2007 10:43AM]

And i thought they smell on the outside

[Verbatim9 @ Aug 21st 2007 11:10AM]

Hmm..."Probo"...so the green aliens want to stick their probes into our children whenever we take them to the hospital now.

What happened to good old-fashioned alien abductions?

[randy @ Aug 21st 2007 11:43AM]

I had "the huggable children's robot" in 1985. When it was called Teddy Ruxpin.

[aboriginal @ Aug 21st 2007 12:22PM]

Everything's going to be alright.

[Jman196 @ Aug 21st 2007 12:55PM]

I just hope this thing doesn't "probo" anything

[jackjillthehill @ Aug 21st 2007 1:07PM]

I got one of those things and let me tell you.... It feels good!!

[Brian Wilen @ Aug 21st 2007 1:07PM]

"Hello Joey, I'm Probo, I think your super. Would you like to take this moment to register me?"

"REGISTER ME, REGISTER ME, REGGGGGGIIIIISTTTERRRRRRR MEEEEE"

"*Probo pulls little Joey's plug"

[Murcio @ Aug 21st 2007 10:12PM]

haha! you made my day.

seriously, that's not huggable. even less if it comes from microsoft.
the green hug of death.

[RedBull Runner @ Aug 21st 2007 11:27PM]

Now that you've registered me, Would you like to activate me?

If you don't activate me now you will DIE in 14 days.

Oops, It looks like I'm already activated by another kid. sorry :(

[buttabean @ Aug 21st 2007 1:23PM]

i was in a hospital for 3 months after i had a horrible car accident. i could definitely see this helping kids when your sitting there bored and lonely. Hospitals are extremely boring and you dont get much interaction with people other then the doc or nurse asking you a million questions over and over again. There usually understaffed so most employees are overwhelmed with work. Only company that you get to spend time with is your family which have alot of stuff to do anyway. So your stuck watching 10 crappy tv channels all day

[YaRite @ Aug 21st 2007 3:39PM]

so this is better than 10 crappy channels?

[buttabean @ Aug 21st 2007 3:45PM]

it is for a kid who doesnt want to watch the news all day

[Scooter @ Aug 21st 2007 5:48PM]

Don't let his cuddly jumpers fool you; that Bill What's-his-name is a clever guy. Robotic partners and comforters will be huge. Paro the Seal is already doing well in hospital (in Japan) and is damn cute. http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/23/paro-the-robo-seal-to-star-in-his-own-movie/

AI will improve enormously and benefit from broadband and wifi to make these items literally sing. Think automatic connections with family and friends (grandchildren sending random messages/images, grandma calling daughter without having to remember the number. And then there's simple, no-fuss companionship.

Hey, mechanical love is a good thing. Probo, are you wiggling your nose at me?...

[jason @ Aug 21st 2007 1:25PM]

Dang this thing didn't get /.'d yet? Well I for one welcome our new furry green huggable drm protected bill gates lookalike overloards.

[HAL @ Aug 21st 2007 3:39PM]

a social robot endorsing a social robot.

it has begun.

[Navstar @ Aug 21st 2007 4:58PM]

PROBO?! Okay, Belgian nerds, you've already lost before you started.

Hire some marketing droids.

[Gamoe @ Aug 21st 2007 5:08PM]

Good old Bill! Nice to see he's up to giving something to hug while he's building a better world for them where there is no choice, only Micro$oft.

[miguelon918 @ Aug 21st 2007 7:38PM]

But he isnt the richest man in the world anymore.... XD

[Andy @ Aug 21st 2007 8:08PM]

what exactly is probo meant to probe?

[Zimmy @ Aug 21st 2007 9:49PM]

Why don't all of you anti-microsoft assholes go shove it. You clearly can't read that this is being developed by a belgium robotics research team, not microsoft. Billy is only investing in the effort, and clearly it's a good effort. Many children will be amazed, amused, and cheerful with hybrid robo-plushies such as this. Let it bring a smile to a child's face instead of bringing anti microsoft thoughts to yours. Just because it is invested in by Microsoft, doesn't mean you should go and diss it. My advice to some of the users here who left comments: go light a cock and smoke it.

[Dex @ Aug 22nd 2007 10:38AM]

Cut off the trunk replace it with a snub of a nose and call it a care bear.

[xinixr @ Aug 22nd 2007 11:21AM]

Google "Huggable", the first result is eerily identical project out of the MIT Media Laboratory. This project though has been underway for years, actually has a working prototype, and its form-factor is much less creepy: a teddy bear.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2131363,00.asp

Personal Robots Group:
http://robotic.media.mit.edu/

And I won't even go into the fact that this project is ALSO in part supported by Microsoft...

[Mredraider @ Dec 20th 2007 9:58AM]

Anyone watch "Malcolm In the Middle"?
This toy, other than color, looks EXACTLY like the toy that Duey wanted becuase the commercial told him to buy it... Nice work wripping off a crappy TV show.

[Mike @ Aug 21st 2007 9:52AM]

Then YOU do better! It's for kids and NOT for profit you callous jerk!

[Mredraider @ Aug 21st 2007 10:07AM]

My bad Mike. The point wasn't that I think its a bad idea, I just saw a similarity and pointed it out. Credit where credit is do, that's all.

[Andir3.0 @ Aug 21st 2007 10:49AM]

Nobobdy does anything for free.

[Wwhat @ Aug 21st 2007 12:38PM]

You forgot to insert 'at microsoft', nobody at microsoft does anything for free.
Not to worry though, we got it.