Let’s dance, put on your red shoes and dance the blues...

[erik_kosberg]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050605...lifestylejapan

[soxfan[$]]

That doesn't help me. I usually follow.

[hadassahchana[$]]

I know the dancing robot is funny, and all, but what a depressing article! Especially this bit:

Japanese researchers have already been putting robots to work for the elderly -- and as dancers.

Robots on the market include a machine that looks like a machine dressed in bright colors programmed to converse in just enough small talk to stop the elderly from going senile and a doll that articulates the needs of a five-year-old boy.

Just enough small talk? Who gets to decide just how much intellectual stimul;ation a seniour citizen gets? Ugh- doesn't that just say loads about how dreastically Japanese society is going to change because of low birth rates? Now this is scary stuff!


Cindy

[erik_kosberg]

How about allowing immigration to ease the demographic situation? That seems to be such an obvious idea and would probably be done in any other country.

[pippadaisy[$]]

You saw the tea kettles they already have there that at least let family know once a day that your elderly relation got out of bed and made it to the kitchen, right?

And why did it say that it has pointy ears like Mickey Mouse? Did something happen to Mickey?