Remember that study which placed a bubbly QRIO in the middle of rambunctious 18- to 24-month old kids in order to better analyze human-robot interactions? We know, it's probably coming back ever so slowly, but regardless, the findings of the five month trial have finally been published, and the results are less than shocking. Essentially, researchers noticed that children learned to treat the QRIO as if it were another human; the Earthlings eventually felt comfortable touching its hands, covering it with a blanket when it laid down and helping it back up if it toppled over. Notably, kiddos even went so far as to shun the poor bot when it was programmed to dance nonstop, but they forgave the bizarre antics and continued to play nice once the jig was up. The crew involved with the research is now focusing on the development of autonomous bots for the toddler classroom, and while much more testing will likely be done before any conclusions are definitively drawn, results from this go 'round sure hinted at just how susceptible we are to robotic takeover, er, playing nice with harmless androids. Oh, and be sure and check the video after the break!
Look, say what you want, but that child looked like it help the thing to sit upright from laying on it's back, thus answering the question, "Will it bend?"
No. It doesn't. It has absolutely nothing to do with that. As a matter of fact, when he started doing something they didn't like, they shunned him. Sounds like hateful behavior to me. All we are told is that the children eventually started playing with him. The implication of the article was that they were initially uneasy with him. It might have been their acceptance of him that was a learned behavior. Furthermore, the people doing the test might have been encouraging them to interact with the robot initially, which destroys any inference that could be made about "learned" behavior.
As someone who interacts with small children in that age range on a daily basis, this article is kinda pointless. So what? Small children will react to a stuffed animal being waved around with the adult speaking in a high-pitched voice as though it was human. I've even seen small children do the "night, night" thing with a blanket to stuffed animals I've placed on their sides. They clearly know that the stuffed animal isn't a "real person" (i.e. a sentient being,) even when I've tried to convince them that it was in fact the animal talking and not me. Maybe the toddlers just figure the same thing is going on. Little kids are smarter than they appear.
Wow, there's a shocker... kids will treat a non-human object like a friend. Pretty much everything the study talks about is par for the course if you've ever seen a toddler play with stuffed animals, dolls, or pets.
Since this whole "use the television as a substitute for parenting" thing isn't yielding very good results, we certainly need to come up with new options. Soon you'll be able to pick your kids up from day-care and have an android play with them until it's time for bed. This will leave parents plenty of free time for obsessing over their jobs and making money. Good times!
This article so misses the larger point of the study (shame on you Engadget). The testing was pretty extensive and lasted something like 5 months.
The robot was set to react to touch, when it was touched it would laugh, make a noise, move/dance...whatever. When the touch setting was on the children responded to it and interacted with it like they would another toddler. Even going so far as putting a blanket over and telling it nigh nigh when the batteries died. The 'supervising' adult also treated the robot like a human by instructing by stopping the children from trying to touch/poke the robots in the 'eyes'.
When the touch feature was turned off and the robot was set to do random robot type of things (i.e. dance around like a drunken fool) the kids quickly became bored.
The real point of this is that we begin to see things as 'human' and express empathy for an object when it responds to a humans touch.
So we are all just tools who can be fooled by our soon to be touchy feely robot overlords
If the QRIO is doing wonders does that mean they will reinstate the project and actually release them to the public? Its tiring to keep looking on ebay for a prototype or beta unit.
I'd give my squirrels left nut for one. Really I would.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
posted November 7th 2007 5:36AM
This was on Npr yesterday morning...I had the same feeling. We're doomed
But at least he's cute.
Night Night :)
Look, say what you want, but that child looked like it help the thing to sit upright from laying on it's back, thus answering the question, "Will it bend?"
Just wanted to get that out of the way.
Game on!
Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.
Signed
Sparky the Aibo
goes to show hating is a learned trait..
No. It doesn't. It has absolutely nothing to do with that. As a matter of fact, when he started doing something they didn't like, they shunned him. Sounds like hateful behavior to me. All we are told is that the children eventually started playing with him. The implication of the article was that they were initially uneasy with him. It might have been their acceptance of him that was a learned behavior. Furthermore, the people doing the test might have been encouraging them to interact with the robot initially, which destroys any inference that could be made about "learned" behavior.
As someone who interacts with small children in that age range on a daily basis, this article is kinda pointless. So what? Small children will react to a stuffed animal being waved around with the adult speaking in a high-pitched voice as though it was human. I've even seen small children do the "night, night" thing with a blanket to stuffed animals I've placed on their sides. They clearly know that the stuffed animal isn't a "real person" (i.e. a sentient being,) even when I've tried to convince them that it was in fact the animal talking and not me. Maybe the toddlers just figure the same thing is going on. Little kids are smarter than they appear.
XD
I just realized...
QRIO is pronounced "Curio", not "Queerro"
XD
Such a cute lil' bot!
next on his job list, become a cabinet -- a QRIO Cabinet.
Wow, there's a shocker... kids will treat a non-human object like a friend. Pretty much everything the study talks about is par for the course if you've ever seen a toddler play with stuffed animals, dolls, or pets.
Screw that robits! HUAR!
www.humansunitedagainstrobots.com
Brumsky
NO BRUMSKY!
Since this whole "use the television as a substitute for parenting" thing isn't yielding very good results, we certainly need to come up with new options. Soon you'll be able to pick your kids up from day-care and have an android play with them until it's time for bed. This will leave parents plenty of free time for obsessing over their jobs and making money. Good times!
This article so misses the larger point of the study (shame on you Engadget). The testing was pretty extensive and lasted something like 5 months.
The robot was set to react to touch, when it was touched it would laugh, make a noise, move/dance...whatever. When the touch setting was on the children responded to it and interacted with it like they would another toddler. Even going so far as putting a blanket over and telling it nigh nigh when the batteries died. The 'supervising' adult also treated the robot like a human by instructing by stopping the children from trying to touch/poke the robots in the 'eyes'.
When the touch feature was turned off and the robot was set to do random robot type of things (i.e. dance around like a drunken fool) the kids quickly became bored.
The real point of this is that we begin to see things as 'human' and express empathy for an object when it responds to a humans touch.
So we are all just tools who can be fooled by our soon to be touchy feely robot overlords
I, for one, welcome our touchy, feely, robot overlords. (sob)
I bet SAMSUNG can make a far better robot....with a black glossy finish :(
anyways wats the DRM scene on this waste of money..........Is SONY gonna teach kids how to not download illegal music?
If the QRIO is doing wonders does that mean they will reinstate the project and actually release them to the public? Its tiring to keep looking on ebay for a prototype or beta unit.
I'd give my squirrels left nut for one. Really I would.
He's small, and cute, and I shall name him SOT, Son Of Twiggy.