Robot Maker Builds Artificial Boy

RICHARDSON, Texas (AP)- David Hanson has two little Zenos to care for these days. There's his 18-month-old son Zeno, who prattles and smiles as he bounds through his father's cramped office. Then there's the robotic Zeno. It can't speak or walk yet, but has blinking eyes that can track people and a face that captivates with a range of expressions.

At 17 inches tall and 6 pounds, the artificial Zeno is the culmination of five years of work by Hanson and a small group of engineers, designers and programmers at his company, Hanson Robotics. They believe there's an emerging business in the design and sale of lifelike robotic companions, or social robots. And they'll be showing off the robot boy to students in grades 3-12 at the Wired NextFest technology conference Thursday in Los Angeles.   http://www.livescience.com/technology/070913_ap_artificial_boy.html

 

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There you go Astro Boy. 
On your flight into space. 
Rocket high, through the sky 
What adventures soon you will make. 

Astro Boy bombs away 
On your mission today 
Here's the countdown, and a blast off 
Everything is GO Astro boy