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iDogsitter

By John Cole February 14th, 2012

Want:

Pretty cool.

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Posted in Dog Blogging
This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 at 1:05 pm and is filed under Dog Blogging. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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49 Responses to “iDogsitter”



  1. 1 cathyx Says:

    Why does any guy think that’s a good hairstyle.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:08 pm



  2. 2 kindness Says:

    Can we modify that to placate the Teahaddists here in the states?


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:12 pm



  3. 3 cathyx Says:

    Can that arm reach under the couch to get the ball out? I’m pretty sure it will end up there the first time it’s thrown.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:13 pm



  4. 4 Humanities Grad Says:

    @kindness

    Piece of cake—all we need to do is rename it the “Intelligent Design Bot.” Get rid of all that pesky “Darwin” stuff. Problem solved.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:13 pm



  5. 5 Martin Says:

    @cathyx: Because he spends all of his time making robots.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:16 pm



  6. 6 MikeJ Says:

    @Martin: Should he concentrate instead on hair cutting robots? Or scarily, has he already?


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:17 pm



  7. 7 Martin Says:

    Oh, and my dog would be terrified of that thing. Dogs connect to faces and smells. That has neither.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:17 pm



  8. 8 cathyx Says:

    Darwin looks like he needs a sweater.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:20 pm



  9. 9 Yutsano Says:

    @Martin: Well he is married. So obviously the spouse tolerates the hairstyle.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:23 pm



  10. 10 The Dangerman Says:

    Kinda looks like a fire hydrant; my dog would love it, but we’d need a mop robot for post-piss cleanup.

    Is there an iDogstrapper (to roof) that Romney can buy?


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:24 pm



  11. 11 Martin Says:

    @Yutsano: Or she’s visually impaired.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:27 pm



  12. 12 Comrade Dread Says:

    No. Just no.

    The last thing any of us should want is to team up our pets with robots.

    I guarantee we’ll have the kittehs piloting giant death mechas and raining hellfire down upon us within five years.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:27 pm



  13. 13 schrodinger's cat Says:

    @cathyx: Roman emperor with sideburns. I don’t know why guys think sideburns are cool, they are not.
    @Comrade Dread: I for one welcome our kitteh overlords.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:30 pm



  14. 14 db Says:

    My dog is too smart for this. He’d rush the robot; knock it over; bust it open; and help himself to all the treats.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:31 pm



  15. 15 MikeJ Says:

    Interesting that he doesn’t reuse existing onboard hardware as he adds tasks. He has three sets of cameras, each doing different things. Certainly the quickest way to get things running, and in some cases it may be the best design. But while just throwing more hardware at the problem makes the software easier it drives up per unit cost[1], weight, and power consumption. The last two are more important in remote settings.

    It looks like a fun hacking project, but I’d like to see if anybody’s doing anything beyond the garage level.

    [1]per unit costs are offset by software dev cost which would be far, far higher than any piece of hardware in small quantities, but in a production run you’d have to start thinking about it.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:33 pm



  16. 16 Brandon Says:

    @Comrade Dread: You’re over blowing the risk. All this does is just accelerate kittehs inevitable tyrant rule by laser death blasters. Its coming anyway, whether you like it or not.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:33 pm



  17. 17 Mark S. Says:

    I’m sure my cats would like that thing about as much as they like the vacuum cleaner.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:33 pm



  18. 18 MattF Says:

    @Martin: I agree, particularly about the lack of a smell—dog’s brains are mostly two big olfactory lobes. Need to roll the robot around in something funky.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:34 pm



  19. 19 Lab Partner Says:

    I can’t help but think that at least a few times during the hundreds of hours dedicated to the construction of the robot that he said “Not now Darwin! Can’t you see I’m making you a companion? Sheeeshh! Stupid dog.”


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:36 pm



  20. 20 cathyx Says:

    @MattF: I’m sure it has a treat smell.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:37 pm



  21. 21 JPL Says:

    John, Why don’t you but one and let us know how the animals like it. Then please figure out the approximate cost per throw.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:37 pm



  22. 22 trollhattan Says:

    If you start with a motivated puppeh, the ball is its own reward.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PcL6-mjRNk

    This one has a zillion times more nerd cred, however.

    Also, too, Dalmatian takes Westminster “non sporting” group last night. Woot! Take that, sissy truly non-sporting competition.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:37 pm



  23. 23 Rosalita Says:

    Seriously, it’s just cheaper and easier to leave the answering machine turned up, call in and yell “SQUIRREL!”

    A friend of mine had his dogs on a webcam and did this to them during the day. It was hilarious.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:38 pm



  24. 24 MikeJ Says:

    @JPL: I was going to go look at their site and find out about the reference platform, but the web site requires some proprietary microsoft clone of flash. Yes, I know the mono project has a version that runs on real computers, but I just can’t be arsed to install something that will use up my ram and slow my browsing so ms can play dick waving games with adobe.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:42 pm



  25. 25 Yutsano Says:

    @MikeJ:

    I just can’t be arsed to install something that will use up my ram and slow my browsing so ms can play dick waving games with adobe.

    For no reason at all this was hilarious to me. I think it’s sickness delusions.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:49 pm



  26. 26 Mark S. Says:

    Jeez, does New Hampshire have the most wingnut legislature in the Union?

    New Hampshire Republicans Propose Bill To Eliminate Workers’ Lunch Breaks

    New Hampshire Republicans Propose Bills That Prevent Police From Protecting Domestic Abuse Victims

    New Hampshire GOP Bill Mandates That New Laws Find Their Origin In 1215 English Magna Carta

    That domestic violence one is absolutely horrible and could only be proposed by guys who like beating their wives. Police couldn’t make an arrest unless they actually saw the assault. Needless to say, that doesn’t happen very often.


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:49 pm



  27. 27 MikeJ Says:

    @Mark S.:

    Police couldn’t make an arrest unless they actually saw the assault.

    They could extend this to other crimes if they really believed in their justifications. “Hey, I didn’t see anybody rob this bank, you could be lying!”


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:52 pm



  28. 28 beltane Says:

    @Mark S.: Well, they have a point. Back in 1215 it was perfectly acceptable to beat your wife. It was their way of getting around the prohibition against divorce. What’s a poor, unhappily married baron to do without legalized wife-beating?


    February 14th, 2012 at 1:55 pm



  29. 29 Marcellus Shale, Public Dick Says:

    um, aren’t you teaching your dog that random shit around the house is supposed to give them treats? it would be a real shame if the dog takes it out on the vaccum cleaner bag because he brought it a ball and vaccum cleaner just stood there.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:00 pm



  30. 30 Mark S. Says:

    @MikeJ:

    I guess they’ll need to scrap next season’s CSI: New Hampshire.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:00 pm



  31. 31 Comrade Dread Says:

    @Mark S.: Oh, sweet motherf’ing Buddha…

    Seriously, at this rate, they’re going to start demanding a repeal of the 13th amendment before the end of Obama’s second term.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:01 pm



  32. 32 Jager Says:

    Having German Shepards, I’d need to know how much the titanium cover will cost.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:05 pm



  33. 33 beltane Says:

    @Comrade Dread: 13th Amendment?

    Pssht, at this rate they will start demanding a repeal of the 13th century. I expect them to move on from the tri-corner hats and adopt the style of ye olde Sheriff of Nottingham.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:06 pm



  34. 34 Amir Khalid Says:

    @Mark S.:
    This is an actual political party in your country? Whose politicians some of your fellow Americans actually voted into office? OMG.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:25 pm



  35. 35 Splitting Image Says:

    Actually, it strikes me that that kind of robot would be very popular with disabled people. There are a lot of people who would love to own a dog but can’t do one or another of the zillion things pets need you to do for them. A robot that could help you do those things would be very helpful.

    I agree that the version in the demo looks like a fun hacker project, but I think the idea has possibilities.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:32 pm



  36. 36 WaterGirl Says:

    @Mark S.: I thought the photos were perfect on the domestic abuse page. Smarmy supreme court justice photo on top, appearing to be in reaction to the visibly injured and upset female below. Ick.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:36 pm



  37. 37 kindness Says:

    Funny, what he calls treats my dogs call the same stuff that’s in that giant bowl over there.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:42 pm



  38. 38 alhutch Says:

    I like what he did there, but anything moving autonomously in our house would be feared and then destroyed. In my experience, Terriers don’t like surprises.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:44 pm



  39. 39 JC Says:

    Seriously, the robot is badass.

    But, all that dumbass had to do was buy another dog for $50.

    1) A robot companion is not the same as a person or dog.

    2) He could have had a companion in one day from the pound instead of all the time it took building the robot.

    My point is the guy is book smart, but probably can’t go outside without getting lost. If your dog is lonely GET ANOTHER DOG


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:49 pm



  40. 40 ruemara Says:

    This is why Dilbert is poorly treated by Dogbert.


    February 14th, 2012 at 2:55 pm



  41. 41 PurpleGirl Says:

    @Martin: In the 1970s, a certain SF writer had an IBM Robo Selectric typewriter and he had a dog. The dog did NOT like that particular typewriter. I was told by friends that if the writer was in his office and the machine was on, the dog was cool with it. But if the machine printing and the writer wasn’t in the office, the dog would freak out and run outside and refuse to either come back inside or stay in the house. The dog was certain the machine was haunted, as it were.


    February 14th, 2012 at 3:24 pm



  42. 42 PurpleGirl Says:

    @Yutsano: Your sickness delusions have little to do with why it’s funny. I also laughed because that’s exactly how MS does stuff. They always have to prove their superior status over all the peon users.


    February 14th, 2012 at 3:32 pm



  43. 43 Raven Says:

    You call me shabby
    you say my hair is not in style
    well the pants may be baggy
    but it could be worth your while


    Runnin after Fools
    Asleep at The Wheel


    February 14th, 2012 at 3:52 pm



  44. 44 Someguy Says:

    You know, I’ve been waiting for years to whip this out.

    Hey, Catholics and TeaTards: Elections have consequences. Nobody’s making you live here. You’re free to leave. Srsly, America – love it or leave it!

    Man that felt good. What goes ‘round comes ‘round.


    February 14th, 2012 at 4:28 pm



  45. 45 squirrelhugger Says:

    So this is for people who get bored surfing the web at work, and want something else to do with their time.

    There’s a better solution. People who don’t have the time or desire to properly care for an animal physically and emotionally dependent on them shouldn’t have one.


    February 14th, 2012 at 4:57 pm



  46. 46 Lyrebird Says:

    @squirrelhugger: Yeah. I got no problem w/his sideburns, and given what he put together so successfully*, I’ll let go of his apparently not understanding what “autonomously” means, but I think you have his/their number.

    *as in he finished it, rather than leaving it 2/3rds done in the garage, this deserves major props, excess cameras ‘n all!


    February 14th, 2012 at 6:15 pm



  47. 47 Dave Says:

    Your stupid fucking website still will not load, good christ, fuck you.


    February 14th, 2012 at 7:04 pm



  48. 48 El Cid Says:

    I was going to make something just like this, but I just didn’t get around to it. Totally.


    February 15th, 2012 at 7:27 am



  49. 49 Rainy Day Says:

    I would like a cozy box lined with soft fabrics that smell like us and a computer screen projecting our image. When we call the dog remotely, he would enter the box and then robotic hands (soft and smelling like us) would pet and scratch him while we spoke to him. Our dogs crave TOUCH more than fetch.


    February 15th, 2012 at 7:35 am