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Amazon Patents Annoying Robot That Follows You
Not sure if this particular piece of science fiction-turned-(patent)reality is good, but here it is.
(Robot follows you around; the Patent application from Amazon)
Here’s how it works: You will make a wireless request (perhaps with your last precious few moments of juice).The robot will find you in a crowd using sensor data.Through a cloud-based application, the robot can even find you automatically when your power hits below 10%. Nothing, of course is free, so the robot will ask you to watch an ad, complete a survey, or pay some money.Then: the robot provides sweet, precious electricity to your phone or iPad or laptop.
The robot would be designed for public use in airports, hotels, and shopping malls—all locations where losing battery power can be particularly inconvenient. Of course, a device like this would be perfect for business travelers, who have become accustomed to carrying heavy external batteries or even bulky power strips.
According to the illustrative examples provided in the patent, what the robotic device will look like is subject to change. Some figures show it with a humanlike body that can store sticks of gum for purchase; others show it with a conical shape powered on wheels.
Philip K. Dick was particularly concerned that this idea might be implemented. Read about his creditor jet-ballon from his 1964 novel Lies, Inc..
Even closer, given that Amazon exists to sell you things, consider the homotropic news vending machine that is able to track human beings:
The restaurant, with the exception of their party, was empty; the news vending machine, being homotropic, headed toward them, still bleating. "The Chronicle's own circuit investigates, and discloses startling new details not found in the Examiner or the News-Call Bulletin. It waved the newspaper in their faces.
(Read more about Dicks homotropic news vending machine)
Via TheLadders.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 7/19/2017)
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