Today's rant is inspired by a news article I read about a Japanese firm, ZMP, inc., that is offering a 15" tall humanoid robot that will wander around your house providing entertainment and security. This little guy lists for $5450, and has a digital camera in his head that you can access via a mobile phone to see just what your pets are doing while you are gone.
To quote the eternally 8-year-old Calvin, "Where are the flying cars? Where are the personal robots and the zero gravity boots, huh?" Five grand for a 15" tall robot!? And all it does is wander aimlessly around your house!? I've been waiting nearly 30 years for my own R2-D2, or at least a freaking TWIKI, and this is the best anyone can come up with? Dammit!
Of course, given the way most people drive, I suppose flying cars aren't really such a good idea. I have family up North who consider it an affront to their manhood if someone passes them on the highway, so I can just imagine what kind of carnage would result from the widespread use of personal aircraft. Then again, the ensuing increase in jobs, mostly in the emergency response and medical examiner fields, coupled with an almost Darwinian removal of the weak-minded and/or dim-witted...sounds like a win/win scenario to me. OK, automotive industry, hop to it! Let's get those cars airborne!!
And let me know where to order those zero-gravity boots.
See ya,
Marius
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