Roombas fill an emotional vacuum for owners
ATLANTA - They give them nicknames, worry when they signal for help and sometimes even treat them like a trusted pet.
A new study shows how deeply some Roomba owners become attached to the robotic vacuum and suggests there's a measure of public readiness to accept robots in the house — even flawed ones.
"They're more willing to work with a robot that does have issues because they really, really like it," said Beki Grinter, an associate professor at Georgia Tech's College of Computing. "It sort of begins to address more concerns: If we can design things that are somewhat emotionally engaging, it doesn't have to be as reliable."
Grinter decided to study the devices after she saw online pictures of people dressing up their Roombas, the disc-shaped, self-directed vacuums made by Burlington, Mass-based iRobot Corp.
"This sort of notion that someone would dress a vacuum cleaner seemed strange," she said. "A lot more was going on."
I think my new goal in life is to be somewhat emotionally engaging....
I don't know WTF is up with Tuesday at 9, but last week my DVR decided not to tape House, and this week it dissed Eureka. Luckily, I can catch Eureka at midnight, but STILL.
Well, my dad refers to their roomba recharging as "nursing" but I think that's less emotional engagement and more amused-fucking-with-imagery.
Growing up we had a lady that lived in back who did our laundry. These days she lives offsite, but my parents and sister don't have to wash their own clothes.
Me, I got first world problems.
And a headache, and am on the way to ER #2 with a surly cabbie.
I fold laundry but it only gets put away when it really , really, bugs me.
clothes - generally, i vaguely think about it the night before, but I sometimes have to change my mind in the am do to an inability to locate something. If i have to be in early, or it matters due to something like big bosses, I pull stuff together the night before.
And a headache, and am on the way to ER #2 with a surly cabbie.
Bah. Did you get the name of the good cabbie?
Oh no! Grevious insult to Nilly on House:
"Seventeen's a stupid number."
I'll take care of the laundry for someone who'll vacuum for me.
Shit, ita. I know, not really helpful, but you are in my thoughts.
I'm now a vegetarian to ward off boundary-issue neighbor. Who is T's dad. Oy.
I just ripped off a treated corn. That's kinda gross. But hopefully fixes the problem. (Short version,
banged the hell out of the little toe, drew blood, think the toe is permanently wrong. Corn thing formed. Ignored. Got worse. Did OTC and it just came off.
Hopefully no more grossness.)
Being an adult SUCKS.
I think I'll go back to imagining surprising my parents with a trip to Prague. No idea how I'll accomplish this, or if, but picturing my mom in Stare Mesto and then the hills overlooking it? Making me happy. I even still recall how to get from the airport to city center on public transit!
The best Henry Rollins interview evah!!!
[link]
Cale: Hey Henry, just wanted to make sure you got the questions I sent over, haven’t heard back from you yet, thanx!
Henry: Cale, I got the questions, I am not doing them. Thanks. Henry.
That's it.
Cale Says:
You know, I actually went into this one taking special care not to piss him off, the questions were well researched and relevant, except for a few like this one:
Do you think you would have been able to reach as many people as you have over the years if it wasn’t for your neck? I mean, I feel like it just gives more weight and integrity to everything you’re saying. It’s like an anaconda fucked a sequoia.
and
What life lessons did you learn working in the Georgetown Haagen-Dazs?
