Strange article, but not so strange of a Chinese-made item that someone, somewhere will buy it.
Even otherwise intelligent technology writers.
Posted on 10/09/2022 8:06:14 PM PDT by texas booster
The timing was perfect.
My wife and I had been debating about whether to adopt a cat.
There wasn't complete agreement. Or any, really.
Suddenly, I received an email whose subject line was so promising: "A lifelike robot cat powered by AI, because why not?"
Why not, indeed? Everything will soon be robotic, to one extent or another. Even our very selves. Why not see what it's like to live with a being that is, according to its makers, "a lifelike pet designed to offset loneliness for the elderly and provide companionship for couples, children, and families."
Elephant Robotics insists its metaCat has a "realistic ragdoll appearance." I worried about the words "realistic" and "ragdoll" being in such proximity. I'd never seen dolls that were especially realistic, but I caught on that this ragdoll is a breed of cat. It is, so the experts at Wikipedia tell me, a breed that is "best known for its docile, placid temperament, and affectionate nature."
(Excerpt) Read more at zdnet.com ...
This metaCat is never happy. Rather like Mark Zuckerberg's face.
Of course, it has its positive moments. If you stroke it, there is a purring, a meowing, and an odd head movement. Its tail wags a little too. It also sheds. The creators are keen to point to the startling benefits -- no cat litter, no cat shower, no cat digging its nails into your thigh to get your attention.
They insist that metaCat enjoys food-grade silica gel and synthetic fur -- is there really food-grade synthetic fur? I had no idea -- that's "safe to the touch and allergy-friendly." I don't know about safe to the touch. I was afraid of touching this thing, in case its blue eyes hid a dark heart.
My wife took the metaCat to a Microsoft Teams meeting. Because that's what people do with their cats, right? I regret to say, one of the meeting participants used the word "demonic."
I decided to persevere. I decided to reconnect. Perhaps, I thought, it would recognize me when I walked into the room. It didn't. Perhaps I could turn it over and give it belly rubs. I tried. Nothing happened, other than a slight feeling of absurdity on my part. In essence, then, this felt like a prototype waiting for a more sophisticated and friendlier version to emerge.
It could be, though, that the $240 you'd have to spend on a metaCat may give your kids endless minutes of pleasure. Or even seconds.
Perhaps that's worth it to you.
So many kittens need a home, so these bozos buy a machine?
Strange article, but not so strange of a Chinese-made item that someone, somewhere will buy it.
Even otherwise intelligent technology writers.
From the Australian ZD Net I believe.
But your point is still ... on point.
Redefining “realistic,” the new norm.
You don’t have a life clown. You call this reality?
Low maintenance and no allergies
Looks like a Christmas toy I sent my granddaughter
If you spent a week with my cat Daisy, your life would never be the same. At least that was true for her first four years. The kitten from hell. Vet took her first look and burst out laughing: “You have a tri-colored tabby, very smart and very fierce.”
life around here is a constant game of Survivor, and as often as not, she outsmarts, outwits and outplays me. Love her to pieces though.
At least it doesn’t crap and pi$$ on the carpet.
yeaaaaaaaaaaaahhh...no
😀 rub a real cats belly long and razor blades on four little feet meet meat the only thing real felines want is for you to get your fat butt off of their chair, no matter where you sit. I’ve had several adopt me over the years. Each has its own personality. If they grew to weigh 100 lbs humans wouldn’t exist. IMO 😜
Does it crap batteries in the kitty litter?
Suddenly!!!
If they give it normal looking eyes it would be more natural to interact with. They go to great lengths to make it appear like a living cat and screw up the eyes.
Robotic Viking Kitties can't be far off!
There could be something to it. The story gave me minutes of pleasure and mirth.
Does it sit on you head and yowl at 4AM telling you it is time to recharge it, and then snub the type of electricity you give it?
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