Comments
derf • September 26, 2008 9:11 AM
Will we need new signs or will lawyers be all over owners of this? “Camera surveillance” doesn’t seem to cover a drone with a camera, and I haven’t seen a “beware of robot” sign yet.
bob • September 26, 2008 9:31 AM
Number 5 is a spy!
bear • September 26, 2008 9:46 AM
Christmas is coming
Chaz • September 26, 2008 9:59 AM
It’s the ultimate mobile phone. Send it in to tell your kids good night or send it in to the office to let you join a meeting when you’re out of town. But will they know for sure if it’s really you on the other end?
Muffin • September 26, 2008 10:05 AM
Why is this “spying on” people? It seems like little more than a CCTV camera hooked up to Skype to me.
JohnJ • September 26, 2008 10:54 AM
Like the original Daleks, Spykee doesn’t appear to be able to manage stairs.
huh • September 26, 2008 11:07 AM
what is this slashdot? i guess it is friday morning
vanilla • September 26, 2008 12:50 PM
bear said: “Christmas is coming” … This made me smile …
Went to the link … this is cool geek chic … can’t let my 14 year-old grandson see this … he will be sucking up big time … might even offer to mow the yard for a year … (g)
Clive Robinson • September 26, 2008 1:25 PM
@ bear,
A modern take on the poem,
Christmas is coming,
The Skypee’s battery’s flat,
So no way to watch the burgler,
Stealing all your tat…
I guess home security for flat owners would be a real use for this little droid.
Knowler Longcloak • September 26, 2008 1:42 PM
I liked the disclaimer on the video:
“Movie non binding. Arms and head of the robot are not motorized. Situation simulation with various special effects…”
It looks like a fun toy.
However you need to use an ad-hoc wi-fi setup to connect to it the first time. It also does not support WPA2 just WEP and WPA.
The documentation recommends several times that you might need to disable security completely on your wi-fi network, or disable the host based firewall of the connecting computer completely.
I think I’ll pass.
Clive Robinson • September 26, 2008 1:45 PM
I wonder if it will end up like the Lego Mindstorms (I have to educate my son 😉 being hacked into a new more interesting system.
Just think as it has vision and two way voice comms it might be possible to give it face recognition and a faux personality etc.
Instead of comming home to a cat or dog that needs feeding cleaning and possibly wallking you could come home to the “Spykee virtual flat mate”.
You could also conect two together over the Internet. For those who suffer from seperation angsiaty. You have one in your hotel room and one at your significant others flat. You can then walk and talk together.
You could do the same thing when your “little one” does a sleep over.
But from my point of view it’s to small to get me a beer from the fridge…
Davi Ottenheimer • September 26, 2008 3:45 PM
I always thought of these devices were best suited for playing with pets and feeding them when the owner is away from home.
The ability to preprogram an activity (like opening a can, or scooping a litter box) for a certain time so manual control is not necessary would be a bonus.
JJ • September 26, 2008 3:48 PM
Makes me also wonder whether the Meccano company can spy on you through this gadget…
Anyway Nao from Aldebaran Robotics is going to be a lot cooler (but is not publicly available yet)…
Scott • September 26, 2008 4:50 PM
One could buy one of those, a pistol and a few servos and have a hell of a time.
denis bider • September 26, 2008 7:04 PM
It won’t be long until someone will try to rob a bank remotely using some of these gadgets 🙂
Julie • September 26, 2008 9:43 PM
You also have to provide the company your robot’s name and password in order to control him over the Internet.
Alex • September 27, 2008 4:07 AM
Bruce,
Shouldn’t you have added a disclosure on the ‘buy one here’ link regarding your associate tag in the link 😉 ?
David • September 27, 2008 8:32 AM
Not to mention what I got on going to the Spykee site: three visible URLs, along with icons showing that NoScript was blocking scripts. If I can’t get a look at a page without allowing scripts, I’m not interested.
inetlocksmith • September 28, 2008 12:06 AM
Rovio looks better @ the same price.
Roger • October 1, 2008 2:56 AM
Hmm, there are rumours of an open interface expansion kit.
<evil chuckle/>
Must … not … add … taser …
Must … not …
Oh damn.
<maniacal laughter/>
<Austrian accent>Spykee defensive systems activated.</Austrian accent>
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 21st century. Enjoy the ride.
Thinkerer • October 3, 2008 7:11 AM
iRobot has a version of this (“ConnectR”) based on the Roomba platform that is touted as being able to connect in real time as a virtual visitor. Due out “real soon now”.
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Sidebar photo of Bruce Schneier by Joe MacInnis.
Altair bin LaAhad • September 26, 2008 7:59 AM
Skype compatible? What’s next? ‘Johnny 5’?