Relationship -- Engadget

relationship posts

Bandai's latest handheld helps women "understand" men

by Darren Murph posted Jan 25th 2009 at 10:04AM

For the longest time now, we were under the impression that it was men looking for miraculous ways of understanding woman. Clearly, we've had the whole thing backwards. Bandai has apparently polled thousands of opinionated males in order to fill its latest handheld with data that woman aged 20 to 30 will pay ¥2,499 ($28) to know. In all seriousness, we can't imagine this thing having a very good search mechanism, so its actual usefulness is definitely questionable. One thing's for sure, though -- handing one of these to your SO / ex-lover with a smirk is guaranteed to get a rise.

[Via ShinyShiny]

Robotic cockroaches influence, exploit living clans

by Darren Murph posted Nov 16th 2007 at 11:21AM

Strangely enough, we've seen robotic roaches in action before, but a new report focusing on nature's influence on mechanical creatures substantiates some of our worse fears. Apparently, a team of researchers led by Jose Halloy of the University Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium crafted "cockroach-sized robots that interacted with their living counterparts." The critters themselves did not actually resemble cockroaches, but they were doused with chemicals to mimic the authentic aroma; subsequently, these autonomous pests were able to persuade a clan of real roaches to choose a poor (light) shelter over a dark alternative, sparking worry that humanoids may one day use these very tactics to lead us straight to our demise. On the real, the gurus behind the research are looking at the trials to "explore decision-making mechanisms in group-living animals," which when you think about, really isn't any less frightening.

[Image courtesy of ETHZ]

QRIO befriended by toddlers in study

by Darren Murph posted Nov 7th 2007 at 5:36AM

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!

[Via Slashdot]

Continue reading QRIO befriended by toddlers in study

International Robotics welcomes multilingual Millennia robot

by Darren Murph posted Oct 11th 2007 at 8:47AM

We'll be straight: Millennia certainly isn't the easiest robot on the eyes, but apparently it can hold a conversation like no other. According to its maker, International Robotics, this adult-sized, multilingual creation can "communicate with any age, social, ethnic or cultural group in any type of environment." As if those bold claims weren't enough, the WiFi-equipped bot can also "act as an effective PR, marketing, advertising, promotional, educational or entertainment tool," and it can be remotely controlled in case you just don't trust it to shoot from the hip. No word on pricing just yet, but we'd imagine this fellow could practically sell itself.

[Via PRNewser]

Conceptual YABO robot longs to be your friend

by Darren Murph posted Oct 10th 2007 at 12:57AM

C'mon, who couldn't adore someone, er, something with a face like that? Pictured to the right is YABO, a conceptual robot that was apparently designed for "lonely, unmarried persons." If brought to reality, it would sport a myriad sensors including one for hearing, feeling and infrared, while also featuring a built-in camera, internal speaker, wheels and an LCD display. YABO can communicate with its (presumably single) owner by rotating and changing the color of its face, or it can just snap back responses if it's feeling talkative. Moreover, the bot could reportedly disable unused devices and adjust the temperature to save energy while you're out trying to find an actual human to love. Sounds like a real winner to us.

Euri's multimedia ring box -- for nerds who want wives

by Darren Murph posted Oct 3rd 2007 at 11:05PM

We'd highly recommend spending a bit more time (and money) on the actual ring rather than the box it comes in, but for those looking to wow your tech-savvy fiancée even more when popping the question, take a look at Euri's multimedia ring box. This ring holder sports a two-inch LCD internally, along with a clock, calender and alarm, and is available in a number of hues. There's even an unspecified amount of internal storage included, and you can upload your favorite pre-engagement photos via USB and have them displayed on the big day. Granted, this snazzy box is $198.95, but you only get one shot (well, usually) to get a "yes."

[Via EverythingUSB]

Study finds Roomba owners heart their vacuums, accept flaws

by Darren Murph posted Oct 1st 2007 at 11:04PM

While we greatly appreciate the research done by the fine folks over at Georgia Tech, we can't exactly say that we're shocked to hear that Roomba owners (in particular) actually care about their vacuums. In a study revolving around the intricacies in human-robot relationships, gurus found that "some Roomba owners became deeply attached to the robotic vacuums and that there was a measure of public readiness to accept additional robots in the house -- even flawed ones." Interestingly, the report goes on to state that consumers would be less likely to complain if troublesome / faulty household bots were "emotionally engaging," and considering that some folks were willing to "buy new rugs, pre-clean floors and purchase refrigerators with higher clearances" for their Roomba, we suppose we can't really argue with the findings. Now, robot manufacturers, don't you go ditching quality just 'cause we're pushovers, capiche?

[Image courtesy of Halo5]

Project E helps you communicate, make friends

by Darren Murph posted Sep 12th 2007 at 10:45PM

We'll be honest, we see nothing wrong with just phoning someone up and venting your frustrations, but for those looking to insert yet another layer in their relationship, Project E could apparently help. This interesting prototype consists of a web-based backbone (Eco), a central hub (that Exo creature pictured to the right), and a wearable piece of jewelry (Evo). Essentially, these Bluetooth-enabled devices respond to gestural based inputs and can communicate your feelings to other Project E members, and just in case you're feeling adventurous, you can pair up your Evo with a complete stranger and immediately have them added to your ~~aggravation~~ contact list. All in all, this just smells all too tweeny for us to dig, but we're sure there's a niche out there somewhere willing to give it some love.

Gadgets blamed for making the world a shier place

by Darren Murph posted Sep 2nd 2007 at 12:25PM

Though we certainly feel as if we've had this discussion before, gadgets are yet again being blamed for an increase in shyness around the world. 'Course, we doubt you'd need any fancy degree to understand the cause, but a Harvard Business School researcher and psychologist has insinuated that the ease of communicating in roundabout ways (read: not face-to-face) has caused an increase in the amount of people that feel shy in public. Essentially, it was suggested that "technology is enabling us to opt out of difficult situations and causing people to become more insular," but hey, it's hard to argue how much easier life is with a little texting mixed in, no?

[Via The Raw Feed, image courtesy of ABC]

Researchers developing humor-spotting robot

by Darren Murph posted Aug 2nd 2007 at 7:54AM

Considering that we've got androids who can toss together a more cohesive conversation than some human counterparts, it's a wonder that these mechanical pals still can't chuckle at our jokes. Now, however, a duo of researchers at the University of Cincinnati have built a computer program "that is able to get a specific type of joke, one whose crux is a simple pun." By loading up a database of words and then using relational programming to detect when a pun-involved joke is uttered, the bot can respond by laughing out loud and creeping any bystanders completely out. The inventors admit that the creature still misses out on some punch lines and still can't detect a broad range of humor, but future advancements could add some serious life to those drab home healthcare bots who will inevitably be fixing our oatmeal and keeping us company.

Augmented reality relationship game plays with your emotions

by Darren Murph posted Jun 21st 2007 at 3:28AM

If you couldn't quite make it to the last Wii marriage counseling session, there's still good news coming from Georgia Tech. Thanks to a group of engineering minds at the university, a new augmented reality game (dubbed AR Facade) is placing you in the center of a marital spat with nearly limitless options. The program apparently runs on a back-worn laptop and utilizes an oh-so-tacky head mountable display, and developers suggest that being placed in the midst of an "interactive drama" allows you to choose sides, attempt to mediate, and basically "define your own way to win" as you try to talk some sense into the flustered couple. Interestingly, there's even talk of bringing such games "onto mobile phones" and into the workplace, but it looks like they've got a bit of hardware trimming to do first.

[Via The Raw Feed]

TiVo takes the cake at San Francisco wedding

by Darren Murph posted May 15th 2007 at 3:35PM

Although we can't be certain if Andy and Tina Szeto attended a Wii marriage counseling session before tying the knot, the television crazed couple did invite a healthy helping of TiVo to join in their matrimonial celebration. Granted, they did stop short of rocking interactive wedding attire, but the two lovebirds did indeed have a pair of his and her TiVo cakes proudly perched beside the more traditional rendition, and to show its appreciation, TiVo actually donated a plethora of smiling plush dolls as party favors. Not to be sold short, the company also gave each member in attendance their own felt TiVo ears for maximum geekness all around, and created quite the marketing scene in the process. Hey, we've definitely seen worse cakes at a shindig before, so click on through for more pictures of the obsessive ceremony.

Continue reading TiVo takes the cake at San Francisco wedding

GlowBots develop relationships, express emotions via LEDs

by Darren Murph posted May 13th 2007 at 6:26AM

Although we can't deny that having a household humanoid that chases away intruders would be a welcome member to most families, a team of individuals more focused on actual "complex relationships" have developed a series of bots that can learn and express emotions via lights. GlowBots are wee wheeled creatures that "develop attractive patterns that are affected both by user interaction and communication between the robots," meaning that the days of expensive animal training in order to have a pet around are nearly through. The technology within is based on an open experimental robot platform, dubbed e-Puck, and the actual robots utilize "eight IR proximity sensors, a camera, a trio of microphones, three-axis accelerometer, a speaker, two stepper motors, Bluetooth interface, a number of LEDs, a PIC micro controller, and a 12-step-mode selector" to confess their love. The creators will apparently be showing off their heartwarming invention at this year's SIGGRAPH conference, but until these suckas come sheathed in some sort of faux fur and fully equipped with bad breath, we're afraid Fido will retain control of the dog house for now.

[Via PastaAndVinegar]

Nintendo's Wii: a marriage saver?

by Darren Murph posted May 13th 2007 at 12:29AM

It's fairly obvious that using the Wii to keep yourself slim and trim is bound to put a smile on your SO's face, but a curious banner at a presumed church used Nintendo's console (and its token font, too) to hint at answers to a successful marriage. Of course, a couple interested in spending countless hours of quality time gaming away with each other are indeed more likely to find common ground, but for the uber-competitive type, gaming together could lead to more quibbles than friendly laughs. Nevertheless, it shouldn't be surprising that a religious institution would tap into mainstream culture in order to garner attention to its offerings, and hey, if you've got to go to counseling for only taking "Mii" into consideration, you may as well get your game on while you're at it.

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

BlackBerry email outage ruins relationship

by Darren Murph posted Apr 18th 2007 at 8:17PM

Okay, so maybe the writing was already on the wall and the recent BlackBerry email outages aren't solely to blame, but still, being the proverbial straw to break the camel's back deserves a portion of the censure. While we already knew that most fellas would undoubtedly choose a hot new gizmo over a foxy new lady, this mentality probably changes once you're already committed, and in the case of Rafael Paz, the recent email glitches cost him the latter. In another story hampered by horrific timing, Paz and his SO suffered through "a really bad argument" shortly before the breakdowns began, and after writing her man several emails and getting no reply, she cut the cord on their relationship for good. Of course, Rafael received the notes hours later, but apparently, his lady isn't "falling for" the so-called BlackBerry outages excuse. So while your business plans or daily routine may have been momentarily on the fritz, we're fairly sure the mass failure was kinder to you than it was to Mr. Paz.

[Via Fark]