Economic Troubles Spread To RobotsApril 27th, 2009
Ugobe's Pleo files for bankruptcy--Asimov's Laws Of Robitics needs revising
It seems that the economic woes are not just limited to humans. Americas favorite robot toy dinosaur Pleo will be discontinued unless someone--like the government-- bails out Ugobe who has manufactured the robot toys.
Amid the wories of robots taking over the human race and repopulating the earth with a robo-humaniod species, this could be viewed as a positive development.
Perhaps the three Laws Robotics according Issac Asimov should be altered to include a forth:
- A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
- A human designed a robot toy must be furry and mamal-like ( ala "furby") otherwise humans will be unlikely to fork out $300.00 to purchase it.
The movie below shows the charm of Pleo despite the robo-dino's obvious flaws.
