When Android founder Andy Rubin stepped away from the mobile operating system he helped create, rumors suggested he would pursue his lifelong love of real robots instead. Now, The New York Times reports that those rumors were true: Google has purchased seven different robot companies for a secretive new robotics initiative — and placed Rubin at its head.
"I HAVE A HISTORY OF MAKING MY HOBBIES INTO A CAREER."
The story apparently comes from Rubin himself, who granted the Times an interview, but wouldn't provide many details about Google's plans. Apparently, the robot group is distinct from the Google X lab which has become synonymous with the company's crazier hardware projects, such as self-driving cars and balloon-powered internet. However, Rubin told that the new division — which could even be spun off as a separate company — is still pursuing a "moonshot" of that sort. Currently, Rubin is hiring roboticists for the project, which the Times reports will maintain offices in both Palo Alto and Japan.
It's not clear what kind of robots the group will build, but several of the companies involved previously built humanoid robots and robotic arms, and it seems like Rubin is suggesting that Google's creation might able to move, reach, and grab things like a person. According to "several people with specific knowledge of the project," the robots will likely be used in manufacturing rather than sold to consumers, and might specifically be used in electronics assembly — which could fit well with the tech industry's recent push for Made in the USA products. China's Foxconn, which produces many consumer electronics devices including Apple products, began replacing workers with robots last year. US companies attempting to reduce dependance on China might want to follow suit. There's already one company building a robot that attempts to fill that niche: Baxter, a $22,000 "co-working" robot designed to assist humans with basic assembly line tasks without risk of injury.
"I have a history of making my hobbies into a career," Rubin told the Times. "This is the world's greatest job. Being an engineer and a tinkerer, you start thinking about what you would want to build for yourself."
is that how it works
DAMN YOU CRUEL FATE!
When the robot congress passes a law saying 1 robot is equivalent to 100 humans, then we'll see who's really for the masses :(Robots have been the only tech that hasn't really been realized for the masses yet, now is the time.
EDIT: and to add insult to genocide, they'll write such that it read something like "...1 robot life...100 human deactivations..."
what is happening gaf
Version 1.03 will build salivary glands into V1.04 just so they can spit on us.Originally Posted by hipbabboom
When the robot congress passes a law saying 1 robot is equivalent to 100 humans, then we'll see who's really for the masses :(
EDIT: and to add insult to genocide, they'll write such that it read something like "...1 robot life...100 human deactivations..."
In reality they'll just take over from where photocopiers have left off; always making more work for us, craving attention and basically making our lives miserable for some intangible improvement it's supposed to be making to our lives.
Translation: Google already built an army of robots and is currently working on a friendly pro-consumer marketing campaign beforeIt's not clear what kind of robots the group will build, but several of the companies involved previously built humanoid robots and robotic arms, and it seems like Rubin is suggesting that Google's creation might able to move, reach, and grab things like a person
So these robots will grab people? Not cool.It's not clear what kind of robots the group will build, but several of the companies involved previously built humanoid robots and robotic arms, and it seems like Rubin is suggesting that Google's creation might able to move, reach, and grab things like a person
There's no reason to create highly intelligent robots if we don't exploit them as much as possible. Robots shouldn't have rights because they are our creation and we are awesome, they should serve us for ever.Originally Posted by hipbabboom
When the robot congress passes a law saying 1 robot is equivalent to 100 humans, then we'll see who's really for the masses :(
EDIT: and to add insult to genocide, they'll write such that it read something like "...1 robot life...100 human deactivations..."
Robots of the future please spare my life, I... I din't mean it.
Watch Google get their robots employed as delivery truck( driver)s
Amazon Warehouses that look like beehives and humanoid robots sitting in driverless cars knowing more about you than your mom.
1. Is it sexually attractive
2. Will it service my penis and use my load as fuel
3. Can it order pizza
Originally Posted by Fury Sense
More like this
Watch Google get their robots employed as delivery truck( driver)s
Why would a self driving car need a humanoid robot sitting in its driver seat? What would it do?Originally Posted by Interceptor
Fast Forward to 2025:
Amazon Warehouses that look like beehives and humanoid robots sitting in driverless cars knowing more about you than your mom.
terminators that can google how to kill you
I didn't mean to imply there'd be one, just noting the terminology could go either way.Why would a self driving car need a humanoid robot sitting in its driver seat? What would it do?
There could be use for one though. It could make onlookers more comfortable seeing what appears to be a human figure in the driver seat.
Three laws of robot design that must be met:
1. Is it sexually attractive
2. Will it service my penis and use my load as fuel
3. Can it order pizza
Beauty one-two punch that made me chuckle this morning guys. Bravo.Order? That cyber-bitch better cook my pizza from scratch.
Dead, but fine.
1. Google seems pretty serious about this, and they've made a lot of big purchases (7 robotics companies in 7 months) to start off with
2. The rumour is this is focused on manufacturing, so this will specifically be an attempt to localize and automate the manufacturing of goods
3. Potentially, Google will be selling these robots to third parties - so I imagine that is a very powerful thing, having the ability to implement some sort of Android (hah) OS on these robots, and have them in every factory, gathering very vital and useful data regarding the manufacturing process. Information that would be valuable to them, the manufacturer (think web analytics) and consumers.
I guess this is all predicated on the success of this new robot branch of Google, but assuming they get this off the ground, it could be very interesting - all though this space (of robotics in manufacturing) is ramping up in competition, maybe they started too late.
They're likely aiming for general purpose manufacturing robots to start with to help hit the ground running with actual products with which they can develop and refine the mechanical elements of the robots.I think the really interesting things to take from this news is
1. Google seems pretty serious about this, and they've made a lot of big purchases (7 robotics companies in 7 months) to start off with
2. The rumour is this is focused on manufacturing, so this will specifically be an attempt to localize and automate the manufacturing of goods
3. Potentially, Google will be selling these robots to third parties - so I imagine that is a very powerful thing, having the ability to implement some sort of Android (hah) OS on these robots, and have them in every factory, gathering very vital and useful data regarding the manufacturing process. Information that would be valuable to them, the manufacturer (think web analytics) and consumers.
I guess this is all predicated on the success of this new robot branch of Google, but assuming they get this off the ground, it could be very interesting - all though this space (of robotics in manufacturing) is ramping up in competition, maybe they started too late.
And as their overall AI research improves, it'll increase the range of tasks a robot can complete, while positioning them ideally to bring robots to the consumer mass market.
So quite probably, in the not too distant future, the big household expenditures will include cars... and general purpose (likely anthropomorphic) robots.
- Self driving car = freeing you up to use the internet, hopefully going to youtube, gmail, chrome, google play, or using android, either on your car dashboard or tablet/phone.
- Internet balloons = more people using the internet, hopefully more people using the aforementioned google services
- Google Fiber = free internet at good enough speed that you can stream youtube. Super fast internet so you can stream youtube in HD or buy HD movies from google play
- Google Glasses = know more about your behavior. Able to sell specified ads based on your location
- Not charging OEMs for Android = more people using chrome mobile, gmail, youtube. and google play store as their default mobile apps.
I really do not see how a robot plays into this and how google can make money here. If I have a humanoid robot, I want it to cook for me, clean my house and my car, answer any questions I may have. There's very limited possibility/window for ads here and they wouldn't be able to charge as high as they do on youtube/maps.
Self driving car, flying cars haven't either. Actually I remember someone saying that someone had a list of things in BTTF that became true in 2012, or close enough to being true and most of it did become true. Is that list handy anywhere?Robots have been the only tech that hasn't really been realized for the masses yet, now is the time.
I don't really understand how the amazon drone can be a successful venture. People will steal and break the drones, just because they can and people can be jerks. There's also the issue of how is the delivery guaranteed? If the drone drops it at my neighbor's house, am I SOL? Even the most powerful GPS today gets addresses wrong sometimes. What if it's a large product like the PS4? The video looks real good and it would be amazing if it indeed happened, but I remain skeptical.Originally Posted by cloud_sleep
I'm going to program my Google robot to intercept the Amazon drones.
If they can get anthropomorphic robots to do daily household chores that no one wants to do(clean, cook, mow lawn, clean the pool, do the laundry, etc), then I believe most households will want at least one of these things. Humanoid robots are nowhere close to being able to do all that though.Originally Posted by Zaptruder
So quite probably, in the not too distant future, the big household expenditures will include cars... and general purpose (likely anthropomorphic) robots.
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