Male Aiko?

Just for the sake of kick starting new conversation, I thought I'd bring this up.

While BS'ing with a technology editor at the paper today we got on the subject of robotics and technology when Aiko was brought in to the conversation. One thing he brought up was that if Aiko was sold as a love doll (something that really rubs me the wrong way)

So here's the question should a male yumecom come out in the future after a Sumomo?

Hi, I believe they already have started on them. Besides I want a butler some day as well.

Jules from Hanson Robotics

Kthomp06 wrote:Hi, I believe they already have started on them. Besides I want a butler some day as well.

Jules from Hanson Robotics

As I am aware of, Le has only begun work on Aiko v.2 which will be female.

fembots appeal to people more than manbots. Sexist, I know, but they do. They are less intimidating, and look cute.

fembots appeal to people more than manbots. Sexist, I know, but they do. They are less intimidating, and look cute.

A few years ago (2007 I think), the Japanese made a male companion who was a child, and it creeped people out.
I think it was Sony that came out with a kindergarten playmate that looked more like Asimo, so males would be better without human looks.

Konrad13 wrote:fembots appeal to people more than manbots. Sexist, I know, but they do. They are less intimidating, and look cute.

Wonder how many women would agree ^_^

Hi! This is my first post here.
I am a girl.
And I can say that I dream to have a male android as assistant/ companion/ friend / computer.

I don't understand about programming computers.
But I really like to learn and understand about robots. So I will try to post in other topics some sugestions for Aiko and for my possible future male android too .

Hugs
Gilda

Gilda wrote:Hi! This is my first post here.
I am a girl.
And I can say that I dream to have a male android as assistant/ companion/ friend / computer.

I don't understand about programming computers.
But I really like to learn and understand about robots. So I will try to post in other topics some sugestions for Aiko and for my possible future male android too .

Hugs
Gilda

welcome to the forum and enjoy your time here.

I think people will accept female better than male.
It is easier to look at. or easy to talk to.
That is why most receptionist and information desk are female.

Yep, I know. Female robots are less creepy when we talk about recepcionists, secretaries etc
But I'll talk about myself:
I'm a 25 year woman with a rare health condition:

I have arthritis and it often incapacitates me to walk.
So, sometimes I need help to leave the house, stand up, walk ...
Now just imagine: I am a woman, with 1,58 m, 49kg and I would find creep and unconfortable to me if Aiko suspends and carrys me. I read that she would be strong enough to lift Mr. Trung himself!
But imagine a male patient, or even a woman, only heavier and taller ...
It would be really weird see a little girl of 1.52 m tall carrying a patient of 80 kg +/- !
In this context, would not it be interesting to look with good eyes at the figure of a male robot ?

Robotics may not be restrictive if there is a real demand to a product...

That's what I think and why I think about this issue in this way. I am being very honest to you.

I would like to have a caregiver and a friend who can make me feel a little less weird than I feel myself today.
Because it's really weird to say I have arthrits at 25! And it is already hard to see people looking at me, but as time pass I know I'll need more and more a caregiver.
And I know I am not the only one .

Other points pro male robots:

1 - Security: Body guards.
Maybe some businessmen want robot bodyguards, but maybe a guy witha Robocop look or a girl isn't the best for the situation.

2- Sex: not only for boys... hahaha and not with Azimo or Robocop please...

3- Money: If a woman have the money to ask for a boy robot. Why not?

but the problems are
1 - Security: Body guards.

- need first artificial intelligence, the robots now are just big toys

2- Sex: not only for boys...
3- Money: If a woman have the money to ask for a boy robot. Why not?

- there are more men who would buy a sexbot and men would pay more, so a fembot will be build first

but the problems are
1 - Security: Body guards.

- need first artificial intelligence, the robots now are just big toys

2- Sex: not only for boys...
3- Money: If a woman have the money to ask for a boy robot. Why not?

- there are more men who would buy a sexbot and men would pay more, so a fembot will be build first

1: They are called Centrybots, and the police, banks, and airports have them already.
2 and 3: I always had a problem with that, being akin to prostitution or even slavery!

I think there should be a rule that sex robots would be marketed as interactive art with sexual implication in a sales pitch.
If they are made to resemble children or a youthful age that's not specified, I think only the robot itself should be sold, as detachable genitals (and censers) are distributed with a waiting period (sexual programming is replaced by innocent learning program for the corruption market).

For the vote I say male, but not now.
In 80 years maybe, but let's stick with female for now.

Arti wrote:but the problems are
1 - Security: Body guards.

- need first artificial intelligence, the robots now are just big toys

2- Sex: not only for boys...
3- Money: If a woman have the money to ask for a boy robot. Why not?

- there are more men who would buy a sexbot and men would pay more, so a fembot will be build first

1: They are called Centrybots, and the police, banks, and airports have them already.
2 and 3: I always had a problem with that, being akin to prostitution or even slavery!

I think there should be a rule that sex robots would be marketed as interactive art with sexual implication in a sales pitch.
If they are made to resemble children or a youthful age that's not specified, I think only the robot itself should be sold, as detachable genitals (and censers) are distributed with a waiting period (sexual programming is replaced by innocent learning program for the corruption market).

number one seems to be something that should not be overlooked.
what does someone need in a bodyguard? physical strength, intimidation, follows orders. a robot would be perfect for this-plus, it never takes a break, always pays attention, never gets bored, no attention lapse, etc.
in appearance, a robot bodyguard can be built tall, heavy, strong, and as physically intimidating as possible. alternately, if pure intimidation is needed, then a human replica machine would be better replaced by something more...skeletal, covered in welded spikes. but a machine bodyguard that looks exactly like a person, and the only way to really determine is look for cues like breathing and blinking, or to do something that causes the robot to pick you up by the ankle and set a world record for distance throwing of a heavy object.

Hey guys!
I'm back, but now registered on the system.
Let me introduce myself, my name is Paloma, I'm 43 and I am a sociologist. This is one of my reasons for my interest in the theme of androids ( robots in our society). Another reason is that I am passionate about Asimov's tales since I was young and the last reason would be: Yes, I would buy an android if they were already for sale somewhere for the common public.
Wow! What a controversial topic!
Well, here we go ( just some hipotesis, ok folks?):
1 - purchasing power today, is not so dependent on gender. Also there are the old butlers hahahah ( sorry)
2 - Is it sexual slavery if the robot is male, but not if it is a female robot? It was kind of confusing. But I agree that for robots kids (and even adults) should have kind of "software protection program" for protecting BRAINS against piracy, or misrepresentations of the initial purposes for which the robot has been created. As a guy said: Learning would be a more interesting way to interact, not a programation turned specifically to sexual issues.
3- 80 years for a male robot? Wow! Actually there are already the bodies provided by the "Real Dolls" for example. AI software will be the same ( only with a few modifications for gender) and hardware, will be also the same ( but a little bigger). So there is no real motivation for waiting so long. Just a matter of logics.
4- It is logical that Aiko as a female HAS to come first! It's logical that nowadays there is more market to a girl robot, and Aiko is a lot of steps closer to be finished in her actual project. It would be noncense stop all the progress of the Girl Aiko to start a Boy. I agree 100%.
5 - What about gay buyers? haha (the logic of the market, ladies and gentlemen) We really don't know about the costumers reality. Some of them have plenty of money and they actually are the costumers for almost 60% of Male sex dolls.
6 - Some people would not feel comfortable to buy female robots (as is the case of the girl who wrote above) - Me too.
7- In some situations a bodyguard looking like Robocop (or other intimidating shape) would not be the best choice and a female robot as Aiko would not be the best too.
An example of our days: A male artist: a singer or actor - (if he comes out with a female robot as his bodyguard or assistent, people may think she is his girlfriend - a source for paparazzi and gossips... And if his bodyguard is a robot Robocop look alike: It could also be intimidating to people in his social life. The same can occur for a politician, they need discreet staff in the most of times and maybe a machine is a nice choice, because it can be used as a bearer of secrets that human staff pehaps would have the temptation to sell to an enemy.
8 - It is very simple to solve all this controversy:
Look! Aiko would be sold in a serial way. In a simple model, without additional items (as in a car).
But every little improvement ( i.e. More expressive face, taller, other kind of face or skin colour, emotional pack, more processing power, aditional cooling system etc) would be sold as an option and one of these options could be Aiko being sold as male robot. Very simple. And for each additional item, an additional price. There will be allways someone to pay for it. People pay for a U$1 milion Ferrari. So if the forecast for the sale of Aiko is $ 20,000, a male robot could be sold at $ 50,000 and there would be demand for purchase.
Aiko is a robot relatively small, so it will be easy to make it on a bigger size (as people have said here as well). And then there was no need to actually build a robot male until someone orders it, with all the opitional the costumer wants .

Ok for you guys?
Any sugestions?

why charge more for the male model on top of the female model price?
offer a basic model, and a deluxe model that would have better processor, better cooling, etc.
then, for an additional price, offer either version in a male or female version. sure, one gender robot may be a bit herder to make, and cost a little bit more, but $30,000 more than the female version is outrageous. remember, if we want to sell robots as friend (or more than friend, it will happen) companions, we need to make them affordable.

just a thought-what if you could make the robot be more like a remotely-controlled version of someone? okay, kinda like that one movie...um...what was it... but either way, a robot that would allow someone who is completely paralyzed to walk around with and talk more naturally to other people. and of course, for an extra price, there is no reason why some of the 'extras' can't be added on.
plus, for people with a lot of money who spend most of their time apart, at least the robot of themselves could be with their husband/wife, or husband/husband, or wife/wife (political correctness!)

I did say that if the situation was warranted, then a skeletal bodyguard over a regular android would be better.
the only cases where skeletal and intimidating would be best is in high-security applications and protection of valuable non-living cargo. like an armored car. or a shipment of diamonds.
for a person, the best would be an android that is designed to be average-average height, average build, average face. somehting that would look so unremarkable that nobody could even recall it. you get what i'm saying? then, the bodyguard won't be noticed-and won't be so frightening, either.

I read all the arguments.
I've agreed with a lot about the possibilities @Girl 1 has posted, but I agree with @Discoman when he says that charging in U$30,000 more the male model is outrageous!
What do a male robot have to cost more U$30,000????!!!!
I want a robot to be a care giver and a friend to talk, to go shopping, not necessarilly a "Ferrari of the robots".
I am saving money for it and I would pay for some aditionals mentioned above if it would emprove my quality of life and the qality of interface with my robot. But not necessarelly I want a robot for sex.
Girls give more meaning to conversation, friendship and the sensation of protection she can have with someone (or something).

About robots being used by people who lost movements: Like Avatar? The blue guys from Pandora? Cool! Really It can make a disabled person feels alive again!
But I think that the first step of all is to find a way to give the chance to Mr Trung complete Aiko. Isn't it?

I think the idea of charging different amounts for male/female models is hokey. Also, to drastically increase the price according to height is silly too, because with mass production the only real difference would be the difference in materials used.

honestly, if the robots are intended to be customizable upon order, then the price would go up for that option one way or another. The AI would be the same, so the difference would be the mechanical parts. The two options are ordering something completely customized, or having a variety of standard parts made for the skeletal structure. So, with a simple custom job you would be able to get, lets say two different genders, two different body types, and three different heights just with the skeletal structure. With a more advanced custom job, you can choose different lengths of legs, torsos, arms, neck, whatever- But that would be rather confusing, and would drive the price up lots more. Now, as to secondary physical characteristics, the body could be set up so you could have different colored synthetic coverings [Skins takes on a whole new meaning] and different secondary visual characteristics [Hair and eyes] but too many options would, once again, be confusing and expensive. It would make sense to keep it to a few options- Four or five skin colors, seven or so hair colors, and three or four eye colors. Oh, and a few different faces/hairstyles as well. That way the options are simple for the customer, and allow for a lot of customization. Yes, I'm taking most of the ideas from character creators from video games, but I think that is what the draw would be- your companion bot would not be completely customizable, but enough so that people would take a personal interest in their bot from the very beginning. Although I'm sure that there will be enough people who would be interested in standard, pre-fabricated models as well, and those would be easier to mass produce.

Er, sorry, that turned into a bit of an exposition on customizable models, didn't it? Anyway, yeah, go for the male models. It might not be plausible to start out with them, but once you have a backer and the concept has been proved, I think you could move into male models after a year or so.

Mak
I think your explanation was very reasonable and plausible.
Your arguments also follow a mercadologic logic, provide non-expensive, costumazible diversity.
I think that about hair it is relatively easy because it is just a matter of changing wigs.
About skin : We can have lots of different combinations with Caucasian, African and something like a Midle and Hard tanned skin + wigs, eyes (and all this combinations can be put in a software, so you don't need to have a real robot in each style for people to choose.
But Mak, I see that you post as a gest. Why don't you register, so you will be able to see in your e-mail when you have an answer to the topics you are folowing? ( It is only a suggestion).