Posted on 12/19/2017 2:05:38 PM PST by DFG
Imagine a cat that can keep a person company, doesn't need a litter box and can remind an aging relative to take her medicine or help find her eyeglasses.
That's the vision of toymaker Hasbro and scientists at Brown University, who have received a three-year, $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to find ways to add artificial intelligence to Hasbro's "Joy for All" robotic cat .
The cat, which has been on the market for two years, is aimed at seniors and meant to act as a "companion." It purrs and meows, and even appears to lick its paw and roll over to ask for a belly rub. The Brown-Hasbro project is aimed at developing additional capabilities for the cats to help older adults with simple tasks.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
This is just SO WRONG on so many levels. What’s wrong with real animals?
I guess that animal consciousness isn’t going to make money and fund further research into AI.
Can this cat keep the dog from picking it up and taking it outside to bury?
My son volunteered at a nursing home a few years back. They had several “house cats”... the residents loved them. Not sure where they got them but they were the friendliest cats... greeted people, etc.. They were all a bit chubby, too. From my understanding, a lot of the residence saved yummies from their meals to feed them.
Exactly. Cats are pseudo-animals. Probably demons in desguise. Possibly aliens.
A robo-dog, a robo-goat, a robo-monkey, even a repurposed pleasure-bot. All would have been better choices.
Dealing with a senior who is forgetful and can’t take care of a cat..or remember some needed things....
.this is intriguing
LOL. Probably very true. Maybe in the near future, "getting your pet chipped" will have a different meaning. Vets will install bugs into your pets so they are always listening to you. All pets will be named "Alexa" or "Siri."
LOL. World’s #1 Cat Fan, huh?
“What’s wrong with real animals?”
Real animals won’t spy on you and report to the nannies so they can take away your guns and computer and drug you so you won’t complain...
See #9. Spy chips in the ears of real animals will fix those deficiencies.
I am sure you have heard of the old ladies with more cats than they can care for.
Real cats need to be fed and have their litter boxes cleaned frequently.
Real cats have recurring cost for food litter and vet visits.
Real cats reproduce, run away, get stolen, get diseases, bite, scratch and get old and die.
An AI cat would need none of that and would most likely take care of all of its own needs with little input from the owner.
We have a real cat, she’s a very good pet and friend. There’s just no effing way I’d have some robotic POS cranking around.
We also have tamed ferrel cats outside that come to greet us whenever we go out.
There will never be substitutes for real people or animals. I use a time to remind me when to take pills along with a pill organizer.
As a senior I find this downright insulting.
Do these people think that we are all IDIOTS ??????????
.
I suppose after dementia settles in, we may change our minds on this. At a certain point, you probably don’t know real from fake.
Fortunately, we aren’t there yet. I think. You never really know, do you?
winner
Thanks for pointing that out-I had my 3 adopted cats chipped-won’t ever do that again-not turning pets into big brother spies...
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