Originally published March 8 2005
Microsoft shows off teddy bear that can watch children at annual technology fair
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Microsoft's annual gadget festival includes a teddy bear that uses facial recognition technology to watch children while no one else is in the room. This technology may later be implemented to allow computers to allow people into the house while no one is home and monitor their activities. This technology was showcased along with about 150 other new gizmos and gadgets that may find their way into new products.
The teddy bear sitting in the corner of the child's room might look normal, until his head starts following the kid around using a face recognition program, perhaps also allowing a parent talk to the child through a special phone, or monitor the child via a camera and wireless Internet connection.
The plush prototype, on display at Microsoft Corp.'s annual gadget showcase Wednesday, is one of several ideas researchers have for robots.
The idea is to create a virtual being that can visit the neighboring cubicle for a live telephone chat even as its owner is traveling thousands of miles away, or let the plumber into the house while its owner enjoys a pleasant afternoon in the sun.
Plenty of companies are already building robots for the work place, and toy companies have created plush dolls that know a child's name or can incorporate other personal information.
But Steven Bathiche, a research and development program manager with Redmond-based Microsoft, said his company's projects go further.
"The vision behind this is to be two places at once," Bathiche said.
The "Teddy" project was one of about 150 projects on display at Microsoft's TechFest, a two-day event that gives Microsoft's worldwide team of researchers the chance to show product developers their sometimes far-flung creations, and perhaps find a fit for the projects in a future, marketable product.
TechFest opened Wednesday, mainly to full-time Microsoft employees.
The company expected about 6,000 to attend, including Chairman Bill Gates and other executives.
Raman Sarin, a Microsoft development engineer, was just looking for a way to learn more about programming smart phones when he decided to create a program to monitor traffic a constant complaint in the car-clogged Seattle area.
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