What is Pleo? From the Pleoworld website: "Pleo is an autonomous robotic life form modeled on a one-week-old Camarasaurus dinosaur. Pleo is designed to mimic life which means Pleo thinks and acts independently, just like a real animal."
It is also completely adorable! The operating system and mechanics are similar to, but more sophisticated than, the ones used in STEM class, but the principals are the same. If you go to the Pleoworld website, there is some interesting information on the "insides."
A few weeks ago we talked about technology and its changes, and someone mentioned having robots for pets. Pleo is available from The Sharper Image for about $350 - the same as many dogs, but without the food or vet bills. I am half-charmed and half-alarmed by Pleo and its popularity. Reading the forums, I am struck by how devoted many owners are to the creature.
What do you think? Good or bad? Scary or sad? Cute or disturbing? Would you own one?
12 comments:
I find the whole thing really creepy. As I've said in other blog comments, the technology today scares me and I've grown up in it!
I looked through the web site and it freaked me out even more. You'd think the "look inside" stuff would turn people away...But the owners are really into it! "There's nothing that can take the sting out of a rough day like looking up at the chin of a silly happy baby dino face as he wiggles happily on your chest." says someone on the forums. Not to be mean or anything, but if someone is seeking comfort from a robot covered in a rubbery skin, they must be pretty lonely.
I find this interesting and creepy at the same time. The technology has really improved but not in this way by creating something useless.(no offense) I think people would have taken a lot of time to create this, but have also wasted a lot of time. They could have done something useful like a robot that can do anything you tell it to do.
People who use this might become obsessed with it and as cassia said that person mught be lonely.
Super whacky yo. I bet these will start a new breed of nerds called "Plerds" who will do nothing but play with their Pleos and share Plea tips and tricks on the Pleo-web. Allthough I gotta admit, they are pretty funny. And smart, too. This is probably a milestone for artificially intellegent robots on the road to world domination. PLEO FOR PRESIDENT!
Nathan N.
Hahahaha. I completely agree with Nathan here. I would totally be a plerd, but i'd honestly rather spend $350 on some killer shoes, or a TV, or..... charity! Some of it, that is. However, if money was no object, I'd probably buy like seven. Haha. Really. I mean they're cute and all, but i know for a fact that many people will find them a bore in just a few short months. My advice: learn how to skateboard instead :]
Wow. These people are fools. Technology is just taking over our world today. I think we should all draw the line with robot pets! I would rather get a real pet with a real personality. I agree with cassia that this is really creapy. Haha exact words from Elizabeth when I was telling her about robot pets,"WHAT?!?!?! Why would someone want a robot pet?!?!?" Ha I completly agree with her. Lets keep our pets origional!
oh the comment above was Kelly!!!!
=D
O.k...Why the heck would you want a robot pet? They're probabaly even more expensive then a regular one! Its a very.....intersting idea. Well, I guess it would be nice for people that were allergic to fur or certain animals, that way they could just have a robot pet.....but still...that is really creepy! I mean you come home and there would be this little metal "pet" sitting there....wow.
Elizabeth
I think it is ADORABLE! Yes, it is sort of creepy to have an electronic pet. BUT it could be a cool thing for a kid to understand the responsibility of having a pet without having the ability to kill it. Not that I know many people who are willing to buy a $350 toy for a seven year old. Whatever. Looking at Cassia's last sentence, I agree. Yes, you probably would be depressingly lonely if your best friend was a robotic dinosaur, but you know, if it helps them I think its worth that crazy money and having people look at you kind of funny..
-platner
well i think that it is sorta cute...but i would just want to play with it for a minute maybe. it kind of scares me though. i wouldn't want it as a pet and like tali said i'd rather pay $350 for something else that doesn't scare me... if i did have one i would want to be able to turn it off. can you? its kinda like what is the point of having a tiny robot dinosaur as a pet, would it run around the house or would you keep it in a cage and watch it? i would be kind of scared to pick it up even if it is harmless and like in some movies what happens if all the robots in the world back fire and start to attack us and try to control us. robots can be useful but i think they should be used in factories where they can be supervised appropriately not in homes.
"Plerds" - that's awesome!
Like several of you, I do have mixed feelings - they are totally intriguing and completely adorable. But, when I read some of the comments on the forums, it disturbs me that these people aren't getting out and interacting with real living things.
Flip side - $350 is a bit much for a toy, however it's not a particularly high amount for a dog. It could be a great way for a child to learn the resposibility of having a pet without the mess, food costs, or vet bills. It's also nice for people who can't have a real pet due to living arrangements or allergies.
This is like a fancier, smarter, more interactive version of those gigapets that were popular a few years ago - did any of you have one of those?
this is another one of those dumb scientists having no life and just want =ing to get some 20 minute fame... that PLEO thing would totally creap the living heby jebies out of me! ok i might like it for the first half hour or so, but then i would just want to chuck it across the room to see how well it was built. then in the morning it would creep me out to hear all those wierd noises coming from inside of my room.. and whoever bought one of these things for thier child needs to get a life with out a little PLEO thing... =)LINDSEY JORDAN
Lindsey, if you chucked it across the room, it has the programming to let you know by its sounds and looks that it didn't like being thrown across the room...
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