Best Inventions 2005: Bot Crazy

Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005
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Cool Cat
Inventor: Philips Research, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Availability: Prototypes for research only
To Learn More: www.hitech-projects.com/icat
The notion of robot as home companion is nothing new, but iCat adds a human dimension to the job: an expressive face. Tell her to go away, and iCat will look sad. Praise her, and she will beam. Internal microphones can be used to record sounds and assist with speech recognition—iCat is multilingual—and 13 electric motors move her eyes, eyebrows, eyelids, mouth and head to produce the appropriate emotional response. iCat can also connect to the Net and display online info on your TV or read it aloud. One thing she won't do is rub against your leg.
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"We don't want to show him off like an exotic animal."
Swiss Justice Ministry spokesman FOLCO GALLI, on the decision to place director Roman Polanski under house arrest at his Alpine chalet. Swiss authorities say they won't appeal against a ruling granting bail
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