Geekologie I Watch Stuff The Superficial

Cleanup In Aisle 4: A Grocery Shopping Robot

December 17, 2009 / apocalypse, bad ideas, cut it out, damnit japan, food, grocery store, hell no, how long till they push you over and run you over with the cart?, more harm than good, no no no, old people, robotic death army, vegetables, video, whose idea was this?, wrong, you've got to be kidding me

no-thanks-bot.jpg

I don't know if you could tell by the title but I was implying that I would tear that robotic bastard limb from limb right there in aisle four between the baby food and Maxi-Pads. Ain't no robot handling these eggs!

The robotic assistant -- an advanced version of the Robovie-II android developed by Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR) -- is the centerpiece of a networked system of robots, sensors and digital technology designed to make shopping more convenient and entertaining for the elderly.


In the video above, which shows part of a test conducted on December 10, the child-sized robot accompanies a 67-year-old woman while she shops for mandarin oranges and broccoli. In addition to carrying the woman's shopping basket, the robot reminds her to get the mandarin oranges, recommends the apples (which the robot says are delicious this season), reminds her to get the broccoli, and suggests including lettuce in her salad along with the broccoli. On several occasions, the robot remarks on how delicious the items look.

That's ridiculous. Who the hell's gonna buy something BECAUSE A FREAKIN' ROBOT TELLS YOU IT LOOKS DELICIOUS? Oh, right. DAMNIT OLD PEOPLE! I hope you like drain cleaner in your cereal.

Hit the jump for the video of the poisoner in action.

Robovie-II helps with the grocery shopping [pinktentacle]

Thanks to James, Erin, markVII and Bob Gnarly, who, no, I'm not pushing you in the cart.

There are Comments
blog comments powered by Disqus