[Robotgroup] ABC WifeSwap - wouldn't know a robot if it bit 'em on the... :)

[Glenn]

Vern,

Thanks for posting the results of your recent experiments
with autonomous meat-droids.  (I assume the data was collected
in High Definition?)

If this data set had been the result of computer simulation,
there would be those that would contend that the scenario,
was implausible, at best.

Truth_Stranger_Than_Fiction_Counter++;

I admire the cleverness with which you crafted the elaborate experiment,
particularly the part where you coaxed the droid into, apparently, 
navigating
a considerable distance, to arrive at your lab.  Although, impressive, I 
believe
a more careful monitoring of the entire route is needed to rule out handler
intervention.

The peer review panel hosted on this mailing list will continue
data reduction efforts for some time, I suspect,
but some results are immediately clear.
More effective processing of sensor information, is needed for the class of
meat-droid used in this experiment, if they are ever to exhibit true 
autonomous
behavior. Even good sensors are useless without the capability to gainfully
harvest information from the ambient environment.  Without several orders
of magnitude of improved capability, such meat-droids will only be 
marginally
functional, even in controlled environments, where they can be assisted by
their handlers. 

But even with orders magnitude of improvement, zero times anything,
still equals zero.  There are those that hold out dim hope for these
droids in the long run, but one should not discount the utility of 
calibration
standards, even negative ones.  Without such standards how are we ever
to properly model Artificial Ignorance (AI) vs. Natural Ignorance (NI).
"The inability to make gainful use of complete, unambiguous information",
is the commonly stated definition, but is not rigorous.

Negative standards could help reach consensus regarding the value of
Absolute Zilch.  Although, some consider the value of zero divided by zero
as an practical approximation (still zero, but you expended computing 
resources
to get there), purist will never be satisfied with an approximation.  
The pragmatist
suggestion  of table look-up does nothing to quell the argument.

There are those who postulate that viewers of "Reality TV" are calmed 
and reassured
that they are doing OK, because they see others that seem to be more 
dysfunctional
than they are.

Some may decry the use of HD technology to convey non information, but 
conventional
TV simply does not have the resolution to begin to properly convey the 
darker than
flat black void, the producers are attempting to convey.

There are practical considerations as well.   With todays managed health 
care,
direct injection of mind numbing drugs is not covered by many insurance 
companies,
and even those that do, require a large co-payment and troublesome 
consent forms. 
Therefore many will continue to rely on visual delivery of their medication.

Carry on with the research.  Publish your results for peer review, and 
call it science.

Cheers,

-Glenn

Vern Graner wrote:
> Ok, so it turns out that I have "no robots" in my home... Let me
> explain.. :)
>
> I hadn't caught everyone up on the results of ABC contacting us in re:
> being on the WifeSwap show. For reference, here's the story from the
> beginning:
>
> Around Nov 11th these emails started appearing on various robotics forums:
>
> --------------------- CLIP ------------------------
> Subject: For families who are interested in robots,
>          ABC television is looking for you!
> Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 17:36:33 -0000
> From: wife_swap_casting <melissa.rothschild at rdfusa.com>
>
> My name is Melissa Rothschild and I am a Casting Producer for ABC's,
> "Wife Swap". The premise of "Wife Swap" is that one parent from each
> household swaps places for five days to experience how another family
> runs their lives.  It is an incredible family experience and
> opportunity to both learn and teach different family values.  The two
> married couples see themselves and their spouses in a whole new light.
>
> I am currently looking for families interested in robots. Potential
> families can live anywhere in the United States (The only places that
> are not eligible are Canada, Hawaii and Alaska), but we do ask that
> families who apply consist of two parents that have at least one
> child, ages 5 or older, living at home.
>
> Families featured on the show will receive a $20,000 honorarium. If
> you recommend a great family that ends up on our show you get a
> finders fee of $1000 *Family must complete taping and show must air*.
>
> Please speak with anyone who is interested and have them contact me at
> the below number or at this email address.
>
> Look forward to hearing from you and the interested parties!
>
> All the best,
> Melissa
> ---------------------/CLIP ------------------------
>
> Soon after, I received an email from Melissa saying Nuts and Volts
> magazine had recommended me for r the show and asking if we would be
> interested.
>
> She wanted to send down a "film crew" to shoot video of our house and
> robots. We agreed and thats when I sent out the S.O.S. call to this list
> asking to borrow some bots (11/15/06) :) I wanted to spruce up the place
> with lots of eye candy for the show and the Robot Group members responded!
>
> On 11/17, ABC sent one young lady out with a fairly nice camcorder (this
> is their idea of a "film crew"?). She arrived at around 7:00pm and told
> us to just  act "naturally" so she could tape us.. We didn't even get
> through dinner before we started to get "directions" from her, "Have
> Sami sit down there.. have Nic play with that robot.. Call Nic on the
> phone again" etc.
>
> She interviewed each of us separately and took video of many of the bots
> around the house. As a recap, what we had on display was:
>
> Gator Girl
> Babbling Head
> Maxx Steele
> Robosapien V1
> Robosapien V2
> WooWee Robopet
> Parallax BOEBOT
> Tab Robotics SUMOBOT
> R2D2 animatronic phone
> Tai Chi Charlie
> 6 Therepings
> Lost In Space B9 mini model
> Denise's Mechanical Flower
> The Sisyphus sandart machine
> The Dungeon Keeper animatronic coffin
> The S.U.V (Shy Ultra Violet)
> The Robo Spin Art Machine
> 4 CardBots (in various poses and places)
>
> She finished up around 1:30am and hustled out the door to get the tapes
> to a courier meeting her at the hotel at 2:00am to get the tapes back to
> New York.. Things were happening fast and furious! and then... nothing...
>
> So, I sent a follow-up email to Melissa to let her know of my good
> fortune in becoming the President of the Robot Group to let her know
> Kym's new status as the "First Lady" of robotics. :) I was quite
> surprised to see this response:
>
> ------------------------- CLIP ----------------------------
> Vern,
>
> Unfortunately, after looking at the tapes we felt that your family had
> been misrepresented as a "robot family" due to the fact that there were
> no robots in the household.
>
> I appreciate your time and I wish you luck as the new President of the
> robot club.
>
> Best,
> Melissa
>
> Melissa Rothschild| Casting Associate Producer | ABC's, "Wife Swap"
> RDF USA| 440 9th Avenue| 11th Floor| New York| NY 10001
> tel. + 1 212 404 2444| fax. + 1 212 404 1423
> melissa.rothschild at rdfusa.com | www.rdfusa.com
> ------------------------- /CLIP ---------------------------
>
> Though I toyed with leaving this alone, I decided to send a response in
> an attempt to correct what I felt where serious misconceptions on their
> part:
>
> ------------------------- CLIP ----------------------------
> No Robots!? I suggest you review the definition of "robot":
>
> >From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robot):
>
> "A robot is an(are) electro-mechanical/bio-mechanical device(s) that can
> perform autonomous or preprogrammed tasks."
>
> The items we presented certainly qualify using this accepted definition,
> and would not be found *anywhere* but in the household of "families
> interested in robots" (a quote from your solicitation email).
>
> Would you say those things that make cars on the assembly line aren't
> robots? How about that little wheeled vehicle on Mars.. is it a "robot"?
>
> I guess you were hoping for some movie set robots such as R2D2 or
> C3PO... devices that only exist as science fiction "props" or in
> multi-million dollar research labs.
>
> FWIW, most *real* robots used by hobbyists and researches are about
> shoe-box sized and do not look like "humans" at all. For example:
>
> http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/robotics/shop/robo_comparison.asp
>
> http://www.crustcrawler.com/products/nomad.php?prod=3
>
> I feel we had some pretty photogenic and impressive robots (not all of
> which were working on such short notice). Maybe you "misrepresented"
> what you were seeking?
>
> If you give me a better idea of what it was you were looking for, maybe
> I can reconfigure what we have or suggest someone who has what you're
> seeking?
>
> Vern
> ------------------------- /CLIP ---------------------------
>
> I have not had a response. :)
>
> So.. thats the story of the ABC Wife Swap. Turns out they want to do a
> show on Robots, but they don't know what a Robot is. Pretty weird, eh? :)
>
> Vern "The Robotless" Graner
>
>