In memorandum of QRIO

[theotherguy]

this is really really old news, but a few days ago I saw for the first time a video of the Sony QRIO companion robot, and instantly fell in love. This little two foot guy looked cute, moved with perfect fluid motion, danced, sang, balanced on surfboards, threw balls, jumped, recognized faces and comunicated wirelessly with your home network. It awed crowds around the world and taught children about robotics. It was to be released as a consumer product sometime within the next couple of years...and I envisioned it to become the first generation of real consumer household robots.

A short video of qrio tracking a ball and getting up after a fall

But then, in january 2006, Sony cancelled the product because they didn't beleive it would make them any money.

So this is my tribute to QRIO, what it could have been, and what it could have become. I suppose our next best hope is Honda's ASIMO, a much more advanced 4 foot robot that moves in much the same way, but which costs 10 times more to produce.

ASIMO running
I suppose we'll just have to wait another ten years before our dreams of consumer robots come to reality.

 

[Dog--]

He'll turn on humans and obliterate us all :| It's not joke, thats Sony's master plan.

Seriously though, that thing is cool, but I bet it'll cost loads and loads and loads of money.

Especially in ten years when the gas prices ate us alive.

 

[spookymooky]

I regret the lack of robots, talking cars, and cheap space travel.

I welcome the advances made in electronics.

 

[theotherguy]

haha, they showed us that picture in computer science. man those guys had it wrong.

 

[Razor]

What does the big double steering wheel do?

 

[Qonfused]

What does the big double steering wheel do?

Steers the direction of technology.

 

[spookymooky]

I'm guessing the steering wheels are just BS.

As in, "I'm sure by 2004 computers will be powerful enough to need steering wheels..."

 

[Shamrock]

Steers the direction of technology.

I hear the sound of the bad joke alarm.

Also, I didn't know QRIO was sent to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. I live 45 minutes away from there. That is pretty damn cool.

 

[bryanf445]

I hear the sound of the bad joke alarm.

Also, I didn't know QRIO was sent to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. I live 45 minutes away from there. That is pretty damn cool.

pittsburgh is an hour and 20 minutes from us shammy

 

[Shamrock]

pittsburgh is an hour and 20 minutes from us shammy

Not the way I drive.

 

[bryanf445]

Not the way I drive.

i hope your car flips next time, hits a bus full of nuns and kills everyone

 

[Qonfused]

i hope your car flips next time, hits a bus full of nuns and kills everyone

AND THEN BLOWS UP THE WHOLE WORLD AND ONLY LEAVES ONE PERSON TO LIVE lolz

 

[bryanf445]

AND THEN BLOWS UP THE WHOLE WORLD AND ONLY LEAVES ONE PERSON TO LIVE lolz

which would be you, thus relating to the last person in the world thread

 

[Parlez]

I regret the lack of robots, talking cars, and cheap space travel.

I welcome the advances made in electronics.

LMFAO!!!! WHAT IS THAT BIG SHIP WHEEL DOING THERE?!??!?!?!

 

[Lucid]

That wheel could be a... very old fashioned cpu fan. o.o *shrug*

 

[Laivasse]

Is the old man part of the computer, kind of like Bonzi Buddy?

 

[Shodan]

He comes with it, to turn the wheel.

 

[Vegeta897]

So many funny posts in this thread Ahh, cheers.