Just a Thought: BJD Persocoms?

Personally, I don't think I want any kind of personality chips in my dolls. Mostly because if they one day got to the point where they said anything other than cutesy stuff I'd be compelled to stick one in Akujin and give myself nightmares for the rest of forever.

I'm not really all that interested in something like that, joking around aside. It just doesn't appeal. My dolls talking to me (especially in cuteness) would probably scare me. It'd make them feel more distant, I think. If Keijo was now a PDA, now saying robotic things rather than the snarky remarks that I'm used to making him say. Weird.

Imagine all lights are off, you're asleep and it's past midnight, yet you feel something climb onto your bed, walking up over your blankets, a cool resin hand tapping your cheek, startled by the contact your eyes spring open, and there is your doll's face illuminated by the moonlight, the smile unchanging and its eyes fixed upon you as it says "Reminder: Doctor's Appointment at 9am"

Do NOT WANT.

I know it's not going to be anything that bad, but I'd be scared stupid if in the middle of the night one of them started talking. Dude, what if they were like Furby's and Talked to eachother O_o

 

Ahahaa... And be labeled crazy doll girl? No thanks.
I used to have Diva stars, They were like Blythe's with furbie voices. xD And even then, I'd shut her off cause she drove me crazy with her barbie voice, and OMG CLOTHES SHOPPING BUY ME STUFFF.
That's all I need is for Kotori to REALLY ask me for more stuff. :roll
Honestly, I like dolls just being dolls. They give you a sort of company, that is peaceful, and even comforting. Plus, my family might falcon Punch them out the window if they heard my dolls talking, or even walking.
Because people aren't so keen on walking talking dolls, [Thank you Chucky] we most likely will never have persocoms in the real world.

I don't want a micro-chip to do all the imagination work for me.

 

Considering how scared I am of going to the doctor, that really would be a nightmare for me, lol--actually, I'd be afraid of being half asleep, startled, and sending it flying across the room before it ever registered what it was.

 

Torn.

On one side, it would be AMAZING. Anything that could tell me the time, and not make sarcastic remarks like my friends do, is fine by me. (I always lose watches) Conversation would be a bit creepy though, especially a very mechanical sounding voice. But other than that, a marvelous idea. Especially with the posing like Andie mentioned...

On the other side, its not really for me. I got into this hobby because I love these dolls, and truthfully, ONLY these type of dolls. Anything else scares the crap out of me. They're beautiful, customizable, and unique to every owner. They're perfect. Making stories and backgrounds are half the fun for most people, and its nice to have such a comforting object around. ^^ If they were to move and talk all on their own, where's the fun? Sure you may be able to customize still...but as far as everything else in this hobby, there's not much else to do except have them walk around by themselves like young children. In my opinion it would take away from the beauty of BJD's, and just turn them into everyday toys. (not that children are toys)

So I guess in the end, I'm not all that torn. Sure it would be a neat idea and all...but its not for me.

PS
I hope I explained it understandably... xD;;

 

Really, the only reasons I haven't tried actually making a laptop sized (Sumomo) persocom is because I don't know what materials would be lasting enough and the costs.

I use to be on my highschool's robotics team and we actually built and programmed our robots from scratch.

I could techincally build the size and structure, BUT what material would I use for the outside frame(skin, etc.)?
I thought of some sort of latex or silicone compund, but it'd break down eventually, and you also have to think about the heat from the mechanics.
The microchips would not last under heat, so you'd need some sort of cooling system too.

Now, I'm not sure on this part, but the microchips we used for our highschool's team cost us $6000 for the pair. One went in the robot, the other in our controls.
I'm not totally prepared to spend that much.
^^;

Logically, it'd be smarter to start off building a human sized model and then working back down to smaller scales.

This way, you could perfect the internal systems and make necessary adjustments. Then you'd be ready to start designing smaller models.

MARK MY WORDS, I shall attempt this someday...

 

I'd love to see it done, but I couldn't own one. It'd give me the jibblies, I'd knock it over in a fit of dizzy early morning pique and then it'd just be lying there on the floor after falling off my bedside table... twitching its little limbs desperately, wires sparking limply like a broken toy. And a little distorted voice whimpering in an endless loop-- 'Why mommy, why? Why mommy, why?'
I have to go cry my eyes out just at that mental image. No, I'd be too afraid I'd break him! Or her. I am *awful* with technology of all sorts.

 

I don't think I could handle something like that. For me, as my dolls are based on characters, it would actually make me feel more distant from the characters. They exist in my head as real people, the dolls being only a physical manifestation of how they look, and no programmed personality could ever match their characteristics in my head.

I think this is something that falls firmly in the Uncanny Valley, myself.

 

That'd be my main worry for a talking and walking PDA device XD

 

I think the idea is really cool... A doll that can work as my PDA... but I think it would be VERY seperate from my other dolls...

They would still remain in the traditional BJD style (keeping the feel and some of the things that make them so personal and cuddly)... but then one would be my BJD style PDA!

I don't think I'd care for any type of sim-personality...

 

Hmmm, I don't think I'd do that to any of my existing dolls, but it's an interesting concept. Especially if they get better with voice boxes and AI movement with toys. Then again, it would make me want to make a whole replicant Blade Runner family and that might get a bit pricey!

 

It is a wonderful concept and as with computers today I agree that we would have to start human size then move to Sumomo size.
BTW does any one remember the barbie you plugged into your pc and could get her to talk. Lips moving and everything... YICK!

 

well mabye id want a tiny to mabye be able to turn on and off and to get internet acess mabye play my ipod and have a calender of my appointments,and be an alarm clock,but have some personality, a bit like sumomo from chobits haha but other bjds i would not want to make electronic
regular bjds are fine for me

 

I know one thing for sure, I'd need to hide my debit card. Kaet would take it and spend the money (plus!) so fast on clothes, accessories, and boy dolls. No thanks.

As far as robotic bjds are concerned, it would be neat to see one in action that someone created, but personally, I would not want to own one. I don't need for my dolls to move and talk for them to be 'alive'. Lizzie and Kaet are already alive in my mind. I've created their back stories. I know their characters, and every day their characters develop and change a bit. If they already have a programmed personality, how can they grow and change? I'm one who gets tired of things after a while. By being able to continue to change their styles and personalities, it keeps my interest.

Also, if they're pre-programmed (and they would be even if you decide what they say from a list of questions someone has allowed the doll to answer), am I really the one who created them, gave them life? I wouldn't think so. They'd just be a certain type of doll instead of my babies, whom I gave life to.

So no thanks. I would not want one of these dolls. I'll be old-fashioned on this one.

 

Possible, yes. I forget the name but there's a company (in Japan I believe) that built robotic women capable of holding very simple conversations and who can follow you with their eyes (turn their heads, bodies, etc to keep eye contact). I think they may be called 'Perfect Women' or something like that (and I really think they're over glorified sex dolls! No I won't take it back!) However, I think they're creepy as heck.

As for me, I would NOT want my dolls able to talk to me. Robots with the ability to talk are a very neat idea, but when they do get technology advanced enough to make them common, I want the robot's shape to be as non-human as possible. I mean so that you can tell a robot and a human apart at a glance from a far distance.

After all, when the robot revolution comes we need to be able to tell who's a robot and who's a human so we can snipe those ingrates from a distance. Viva la Humanity!!

 

Interesting comments. Just as much as the BJD is customized to fit the owner, I would think that the amount of technology used could also be customized.

Having put really simple electronics on dolls, I found that supplying power was a challenge. You either have visible wires connected to a remote source, or you bury the "power pack" in the body.

I don't see the BJD having to haul around a mini computer, but instead a microcontroller with wireless communication (www.gumstix.com). Then the home PC (or the internet?) can host the computing power.

Walking BJD > Something would have to happen where miniature electric motors wouldn't lose torque when they got smaller. Micromo makes miniature gear motors, probably the smallest in the world off the shelf, but they aren't small enough to fit in a ball joint to move an arm or leg! Maybe another technology is needed, like the wires that change length when powered, nitinol? I'm not familiar with the wire, but I haven't seen many apps where this wire is used either. So, nothing off the shelf should mean that your development cost will start at $5M. You will probably have to wait for advancements in surgical tools before you can borrow the technology.

Oh, and before you spend on the full scale model thinking that everything you put in it is scaleable, just do it on paper first!

 

Funny someone should bring this up! I'm working on designing one!!

 

"Buy me more shoes! Buy me more shoes! Buy me more shoes! Buy --" *defenestrated*

...I'm not sure I'd want one, though I'd love to see it! I like that they stay in the pose I put them in. It's like they're completely frozen, like a pretty tableau; it's really one of my favourite things about them, so I'm not so massive on the robotics-in-the-arms-deal.

 

I think this would be a wonderful idea!

When we get to the point when such things are possible I have no doubt I would want one hehe. Probably not in an SD size but definitely in yo size like little Sumomo from Chobits

~Gio

 

Kind of reminds me of the actroid/simuloid girl I saw on YouTube! So exciting!

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=NtXcGlfGElg

http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=QSTpNpDz53Q

Alltough... it ìs in human nature to start using these creatures for the first two "human impulses", being s.e.x. and war. That would be such a shame. Wouldn't it be nice though, to have a BJD that poses for photographs and such on it's own accord, and tell you wether they like or dislike a certain outfit/wig etc.?!

 

I asked a similar question a couple of years ago when I was doing my dissertation on dolls. Here's the link to what people said back then http://www.denofangels.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49997