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Sparky the robodog reacts accordingly to surroundings
Hate to say it, but Pleo ain't got nothing on Sparky. Created by five interaction design master students, this robodog actually responds in sensible ways to positive / negative scenarios going on around it. For instance, the creature will drop its head, whimper and collapse down if faced with "carbon monoxide, cigarette smoke, alcohol, too much dark lighting, hitting and yelling." Consequently, he'll perk up and show signs of excitement when standing in broad daylight or going on walks. All the pluses of having your own pet, minus the excrement and doggy daycare costs -- brilliant! Peep Sparky's day out on the town after the jump.
Amazon unbags Catz 2 sale
Wait! Before you roll your eyes and scroll past this post in search of non Petz news, we want to make sure you know that unlike the DS and PC versions, Petz Catz 2 isn't your garden-variety shovelware pet sim.It's more of a light RPG adventure in which you, a kitten, set out to retrieve a magical top hat from a mean wolf. Of course, along the way, you'll have several different minigames and side quests which you can pounce into, instead. Also, you can put hats on cats.If that short description -- or the prospect of adorning cats with hats -- interests you at all, Amazon has the game on sale for a super cheap $7.99 until the end of the day. If you're more of a puppy person, you can also pick up the palette-swapped canine complement, Petz Dogz 2, for only $9.99. [Via CAG]Read - Petz Catz 2 for $7.99Read - Petz Dogz 2 for $9.99
Video: HPI's G-Dog will hunt
Announced last week, we now have the first video of HPI's G-Dog courtesy of Impress. HPI's definitely not going for cute and cuddly here; this cyberdog's all bite and surprisingly quick and nimble on that slick tabletop. As such our plans to slather the Earth in linoleum after the uprising look sufficiently foiled. Damn you H.P.Iiiiiiii! Click through for the action, while you still can.
LED Dog Tail Communicator gives Fido a voice
Not like we haven't seen a similar idea passed around before, but James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau have apparently taken things one step further with their LED Dog Tail Communicator. As the title implies, the device would simply be affixed to your favorite canine's tail, after which it could broadcast actual words based on the speed of the tail wag. There's no telling just how many phrases the thing could spell out -- and honestly, we have no idea how accurate the statements would actually be -- but this may be just the thing to keep Rover quiet while still letting him get his point across.[Via Coolest-Gadgets]
Because regular plushies are way too cute
Stupid plushies, with their cute little faces and soft, fuzzy bodies. Ugh. Hate 'em! What's there to like about squishable little animals anyway? You know what we need? Uncute plushies. Thankfully, someone is on the cutting edge, ready with the future of stuffed toys. Resident Evil fans, pay attention, for we present: the zombie dog plush, courtesy of mjrahabim's Etsy marketplace. On one site, it's a cute little puppy. On the other? A skeletal undead killing machine. It's dual use! Each puppy is custom-made (which means they may vary from plush to plush) for $25.And it still manages to be cute. Dammit.
HPI's G-Dog sniffs out your human wreckage
HPI Japan just conjured up GR-001's new best friend: the G-Dog. The DIY, four-legged robot with a taste for jugulars and what appears to be a sword for a tail stands just 5.3-inches tall and features the same control unit and sensors of his bipedal buddy. Presumably, G-Dog will only respond to street-wize greetings of "Whut up Gee?" and "'Sup Dawg?" at which point he'll lubricate his turf (aka, your carpet). G-Dog is expected to terrorize Japan sometime in July for around $1,000. Backside front, after the break.
The DS Life: Puppies at play
The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handhelds and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at dsfanboy dot com.We've already seen cosplay outfits for Nintendo DS figures like Dr. Kawashima, Link, and even K.K. Slider -- it was only a matter of time before a pair of kids decided to dress themselves up as Nintendogs! Chase us past the post break for the canine costumes.See also: The DS Life: Best Friends Edition
So who is the greatest gaming canine ever?
The results to one of the most interesting questions we've heard in quite awhile has come in and gaming's greatest canine is apparently Parappa from the Parappa the Rapper games. While we'll cross the divide that separates Nintendo and Sony handheld fanboys and admit that the Parappa games are great, we're a tad bit upset.As you may recall from our original post on this topic of discussion, we were heavily in favor of K.K. Slider. We also considered the dog from Duck Hunt. But, Parappa? Eh, we don't agree. What about you all?[Via Joystiq]
Duck Hunt tattoo showcases love for dogs, shooting, mockery
Man. There's a lot we could say about this Duck Hunt tribute tattoo. We could say it's just awesome; after all, it's pretty well done, artistically, and we approve of the subject, as far as video game ink goes. But the placement is somewhat questionable. If you're the owner, you have to wonder just what sort of message this sends. Is it an "aim here" sort of deal? Is that really what you want to convey with your body art, considering? We all want to shoot that damned dog. And if you're, uh, in an intimate situation with the owner of this patch of skin, that's got to be pretty demeaning. That dog haunted gamers around the world with his laughter.Yep, we can't help but wonder if this isn't going to be something the "lucky" tattooed individual is going to regret one day. Let's hope it's not a permanent inking and just happens to be drawn on.[Via GoNintendo]
Friday Video: This dog has a hunger for Miis
When house pets attack (video games) must be the theme for the FFV this week, as DSF is featuring a frisky feline and we here at Wii Fanboy present a dog with a dislike for all things Mii. As you can see above, its mouth claps open and shut as it tries to consume the virtual representation of a real human being. We just fear that once the dog puts two and two together, it'll realize that attacking Miis in the real world is much more satisfying. Also, real life Miis probably taste better.
Robot taxidermy provokes thoughts, awwws
Artist France Cadet has created what was clearly meant to be a thought-provoking treatise on animal rights, the changing relationships of humans and animals, our ethical concerns on hunting, and an ever-morphing perception of what it means to be human... but it also comes off as looking really, really cool. Using the better half of the Aibo-wannabe I-Cybie robo-dog, Cadet reprograms the half-bots -- called "Hunting Trophies" -- to detect movement and react angrily when a viewer approaches. There are 11 different species in the collection, including a robot impala, lion, zebra, and warthog. Guess what? Despite those lofty philosophical goals, each one is more adorable than the next. Want.[Via PROTEIN OS]
AIBO matches real dogs in chasing away loneliness, research claims
While robot / human relations seem to be fairly solid at the moment, it looks like the fight has long since been on between canines and their robotic counterparts. Some researchers at Saint Louis University compared Sony's AIBO with a mutt named Sparky at three different nursing homes, to see how residents would respond. Maybe Sparky just isn't that affable, but the researchers found that AIBO and his living breathing competition were both equally successful in alleviating loneliness. AIBO also has the added advantage of, erm, cleanliness, and is easier for senior citizens to take care of, so it looks like Sparky is pretty much out of a job. Get used to it, buddy, it's called outsourcing. [Via Tech Digest]
What is the greatest canine in gaming history?
Tough question for some, easy question for the DS Fanboy staff: it has to be K.K. Slider! Come on, people! Any other idea is lacking any kind of reasonable evidence to support it, in light of Slider's diligence to his job (he never misses a Saturday night show!) and his knack for sticking it to the man. Not to mention how great the little guy looks on a bath towel!Actually, maybe we're willing to entertain some of the entrants. Like, the dog in Duck Hunt, for example. He's a pretty important mutt in the gaming world, so we can understand his inclusion. Oh, and Link's wolf form in Twilight Princess is another good addition. And let's not forget the Nintendogs themselves!What do you guys think? What are they missing in this list? What were you surprised to see? Who should win?[Via Go Nintendo]
Puppy vs. Roboquad: the ultimate man-machine showdown
Ever wondered what would happen if you were to pit the Wowwee Roboquad against an excitable, yapping puppy? Wonder no longer, friends, as the answer to this age-old question has been captured on video -- replete with NES sound effects and 8-bit scorecard. Watch the battle for ultimate supremacy after the break... our money is on the dog.[Via Digg]
Researchers devise tool for understanding dog barks, sort of
We've no idea what's up with Europe and its admittedly zany fascination with canine research, but not even two months after a team of Austrians claimed to have trained a litter to use computers, a crew from Hungary is now trumpeting its dog translation software. More specifically, Csaba Molnár (and colleagues) from Eötvös Loránd University have reportedly been able to create an application that can "identify and differentiate the acoustic features of dog barks, and classify them according to different contexts and individual dogs." The gurus began by feeding some 6,000 barks from 14 Hungarian sheepdogs in a half dozen situations to a computer, and during analysis, it was able to correctly classify the barks between 40 and 50-percent of the time. Granted, that's a heck of a lot better than any of us could do, so we suppose we can't yelp about the results too much.[Via TGDaily, image courtesy of CalgaryAgility]
Is AIBO returning from the dead?
You heard that right, folks. Supposedly, AIBO is back... with a vengeance. According to rumors, the feisty-but-killed robo-dog from Sony is making a comeback with a new paintjob and whole slew of fresh features. First and foremost, the re-upped model will be tailored to interface wirelessly with your PSP and PS3, will have a built in headcam which utilizes a motion sensor and facial recognition, and can stream its POV video over WiFi to your system. In addition, you'll apparently get to remotely trigger the bot with your handheld and control its movements, plus you can set it to "guard" your house (though we're pretty sure most enterprising burglars will just turn the little dude on its side if provoked). Of course, right now this is speculation -- Stuff Magazine's piece on the subject (above) gives the rumored bot a 53-percent chance of becoming a reality -- but there certainly seems to be some meat behind these murmurs. C'mon Sony -- the pup deserves a second chance.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Estonia joins the list of countries with Embassies in Second Life
Joining the ranks of The Maldives and Sweden, Estonia has opened a virtual embassy in Second Life. The Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet stated that the importance of the internet as a source of communication, and the growing number of countries interested in establishing a virtual presence in SL drove the decision to set up the embassy.There are plans for there to be regular events at the embassy, including art exhibits, conferences and lectures, with the first lecture scheduled for January and being delivered by the Estonian Ambassador to Great Britain. The design of the building, both interior and exterior, looks rather unique and sort of futuristic. One of the coolest parts of this news though, is a talking dog: "Visitors to the Estonian embassy will hear current news read by an Estonian hound". The TechCrunch article linked below has a picture of said hound, and I'm sure it eagerly awaits your visit so that it can fill you in on the latest happenings.There is a full gallery of the new embassy at the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website.[Via TechCrunch]
The DS Life: Dear Santa 2: Judgment Day
The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handhelds and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at dsfanboy dot com.As every successful endeavor requires an unexceptionable sequel, we've created just that with this installment of The DS Life! We're revisiting last week's theme of "Dear Santa" notes, promising a production packed with more laughs, more special effects, and most importantly, more letters. We actually can't guarantee those first two points, but we're almost absolutely sure we'll deliver on that third one!To streamline the gift-wishing process, the kindergarteners at Buckeye Valley North Elementary were provided with crayons and a simple form to illustrate their hearts' desires. What follows are a few of the results from the school's "Dear Santa" project.
Austrian researchers train dogs to use computers
Yeah, teaching a canine how to operate a computer may sound pretty complex, but considering that one such animal was actually trained to sniff out and snag cellphones for its dubious owner, we guess it's not too difficult to conceive after all. In a recent study published in Animal Cognition, researchers from the University of Vienna in Austria taught four dogs to use computer automated touch-screens in order to carry out classification tests, theoretically eliminating any "potential human influence." In experiments that sought to see if dogs could indeed visually categorize pictures and transfer learning to new scenarios, the four subjects "were shown landscape and dog photographs and expected to make a selection on a computer touchscreen." Eventually, the authors concluded that using computers in animal testing could open up new windows of opportunity in testing cognitive abilities, but c'mon, you know those pups were just clicking around to see if their testing station would in fact play Doom.[Via TheInquirer, image courtesy of Itchmo]
Cats in hats (dogs, too)
Rather than discriminate against either dog or cat fans, Ubisoft is satisfying pet lovers of both persuasions with two versions of their latest game -- Puppy and the Magical Hat and Kitten and the Magical Hat -- both of which are hella cute. They're essentially the same release, the only visible differences being a palette swap between the two animals and switched sound effects (e.g. barks and meows). Oh, and instead of using a dog bone as a pointer, Kitten and the Magical Hat uses a fish skeleton. Cats don't give a damn about dog bones. Other than that, they're indistinguishable, as evidenced by the near-identical trailers and screenshots at their official sites. They both have the same outfits to dress your pet in, the same dolphin-riding action, and the same play-air-hockey-with-a-lion minigame! We can forgive developer Yuke's for taking the easy route with this production, though, as the pair of titles really seems like a lot more fun and full-featured than the usual pet training shovelware we see. Dash (or pounce) past the break for some comparison screens and the K-9 Advantix commercial we referenced in our article image.
