[nagdu] Fw: New From Japan: Robotic Guide Dog.

Thu Nov 17 15:46:08 UTC 2011

Yes, how does technology know when you are calling tech support, and how do 
our dogs know when a trainer is there? *grin*

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 17, 2011 7:01 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: New From Japan: Robotic Guide Dog.

> ROFLOL!  You're not the only one.  I can totally see that happening to me 
> too.   Then I'd call tech support and it would suddenly work just fine, 
> making me look like an even bigger idiot.  I guess it's the same as live 
> guide dogs being perfectly behaved when the follow up trainer comes out?
>
> And on a related note...does anyone else think it just a bit weird that 
> this thing is in the shape of a dog?I mean they could have made it look 
> like anything...a robot, a cow, a vacuum etc.  I still think the choice of 
> a dog shape is a marketing ploy.  I think it will be a mistake, assuming 
> that this thing ever does actually reach the market.  It will not be a 
> replacement for a live guide dog, no more than a live guide dog is a 
> replacement for a cane.  It's just a different tool that may be able to 
> provide different advantages over other available mobility options.
>
> Julie
>
>
>
>
>
>> That would be me, mine would break down or I'd have problems with it like 
>> I do my computer ... I'd say forward and it would say command not known 
>> or path not found or it would restart itself in the middle of a busy 
>> street or need updating or it would lock up and just refuse to do 
>> anything ... ugh!!
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message----- From: Tracy Carcione
>> Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 8:56 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: New From Japan: Robotic Guide Dog.
>>
>> I have never noticed Japanese people in general having bad attitudes
>> towards dogs.  But they do have a real thing for robotic pets.  Very
>> strange.
>> I wouldn't want a robot guide dog because I think it would be likely to
>> break down.  Remember the laser cane, long ago?  It was interesting, but
>> one couldn't use it if it was cold, or hot, or wet.  Made it pretty
>> useless.
>> Is a robo dog any sturdier?  And can it go on stairs?  (Darlek at bottom
>> of stairs:  "Our plans for world domination will have to be delayed!")
>> Tracy
>>
>>> Maybe maybe not. It depends on what you want and how you want it done.
>>> The Japanese are certainly the ones to do this based on their
>>> technological abilities and their cultural attitudes about dogs.
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>>> Behalf
>>> Of frandi.galindo at gmail.com
>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 8:54 AM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: New From Japan: Robotic Guide Dog.
>>>
>>>         I don't know about you all, but I would feel extremely and I 
>>> mean
>>> extremely weird if I had a machine as a guide.  Especially one that 
>>> looks
>>> like a dog.  Its just not normal.  Ok, I know we have Global positioning
>>> systems that many of us blind or visually impaired individuals use to 
>>> help
>>> us get around, but so do the sighted.  A machine can't show you the
>>> emotional support that a real live dog can.  I will stop now before I go
>>> in
>>> to a book long rant, but do you see where I am going with this?  Nothing
>>> is
>>> as good as the real thing.  The living will always do better than the
>>> machine.  At least with guiding.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Ed Meskys
>>> Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 4:56 PM
>>> To: nagdu ; dogGuideUsersNH at yahoogroups.com
>>> Cc: Toni Piper ; Jessie Laurie ; jeanne wardwell ; Joannie Cirnigliaro ;
>>> Cornelius McIntire ; Gene Major ; Pat Pike ; Jody Pelillo ; David Palter 
>>> ;
>>> Richard Little ; Heather Aicholtz ; Tom Morse ; Roy & Barbara Putnam ;
>>> BJohn
>>> Trimble ; Meryl Meloy ; JOHN DUFFY ; Mark L Blackman ; Deb Braley ;
>>> upstreamer ; Chris Tromborg ; Penny Duffy ; Peggy Martel ; Curt Phillips 
>>> ;
>>> Jack & Kristin Page ; Joe Christopher ; David Jenne ; sherwood frazier ;
>>> Louis Gosselin ; S. Matte ; Amy Newbury ; Peggy Matthews ; Virginia
>>> Dearborn
>>> ; Tom Easton ; Sheryl Dutton ; Tony Bonanno ; JOHN CHLUPSON ; Ned Brooks 
>>> ;
>>> Marcia Hamel ; Brenda Daly ; Alice Savage ; C D Carson ; Harry 
>>> Andruschak
>>> ;
>>> Ray Hart ; Marie Johnson ; Jim Cullen ; Dave Locke ; Craig Miller ; D 
>>> Gary
>>> Grady ; Michael J. Lowrey ; Graham Darling ; Stanley Meskys ; Donald &
>>> Carol
>>> Mosman ; r-lorraine tutihasi ; Christine Duffley ; Jack & Mary ann 
>>> weinman
>>> ;
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>>> Castellano
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>>> Arthurs
>>> ;
>>> James Reynolds ; Deb Moore ; fred lerner ; George NH Locke ; Arline
>>> Jillette
>>> ; Lloyd & Yvonne Penney ; Jim & Helen Sycovaris
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Fw: New From Japan: Robotic Guide Dog.
>>>
>>> Subject: New From Japan: Robotic Guide Dog.
>>>
>>>
>>> BITS.
>>> New From Japan: Robotic Guide Dog.
>>> NY Times Monday, 2011_11_14
>>> By NICK BILTON. Guide dogs for the blind
>>> could soon be out of a job.
>>> NSK, a Japanese company, is hard at work on a robotic dog that can roll
>>> across
>>> floors,
>>> climb stairs and assist those with limited or no sight. The robots, 
>>> which
>>> can be
>>> seen in the video above, have been in the works for several years. The
>>> latest
>>> version
>>> is the third.
>>> The newest robot can move up to 10 times faster than the company's
>>> previous
>>> ones.
>>> Its legs have been improved to help it avoid collisions and tripping 
>>> over
>>> itself.
>>> According to NSK, the machines are technically called 'quadruped walking
>>> robots,'
>>> because they use four legs to move.
>>> Robotics researchers have also given the latest guide dog the gift of
>>> sight
>>> by
>>> adding
>>> a Microsoft Kinect camera to its head. This can help it to navigate 
>>> stairs
>>> and
>>> other
>>> obstacles. Kinect cameras are traditionally used for video games on the
>>> Microsoft
>>> Xbox 360 but are also often used in robotics projects.
>>> The company will exhibit the latest version of the robot this week at 
>>> the
>>> 2011
>>> International
>>> Robot Exhibition in Ariake, Japan.
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I don't have time to hate people who hate me because I'm too busy loving 
>> people who love me.
>>
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>
>
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