Technabob » creepy

Russian Researchers Build Creepy Android to Make Humans “Immortal”

Conner Flynn — Wed, 16 May 2012 21:00:30 +0000

A Team of Russian researchers are thinking big, as in science fiction premise big, building a conceptual mind-transfer android. The ultimate goal is to help mankind achieve immortality by using humanoid robots and interstellar space travel to get away from this dangerous and overcrowded blue orb we call Earth.

The technology that they need to transfer our thoughts and souls to a robot doesn’t quite exist yet, but they have already managed to build at least one prototype capable of basic movements. What we have here is a torso of an android that will one day house a a computer capable of acting as a human proxy. Basically, the contents of your mind would be uploaded into this creepy android. The scariest thing about this android are the blinking lights that you can see behind it’s eyes.

The researchers say that it will all be possible by 2045. So, who will be first?

[via Plastic Pals via Engadget]

G.I.A. Interactive Robot Gives You Creepy Face Time

Conner Flynn — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:00:10 +0000

The G.I.A. (Gestural Interactive Automaton) is a robotic sculpture that was created by Daniel Jay Bertner. It is mounted on the wall and it is basically a projection sphere and a webcam attached to three servo-controlled articulating arms. A human face is projected onto the sphere, and that face that will watch your every move.

The face follows you around and changes its expression according to your reactions, creating interaction. Daniel wants to bridge the gap between man and machine through this process, which uses open source motion tracking and facial recognition software.

Think of it like those paintings where the eyes watch your every move and follow you. It’s like that, but better/creepier. You may very well have nightmares after you watch it watching you.

[via Engadget via Geeky-Gadgets]

Eccerobot Looks Like a Robot Cyclops After an Acid Bath

Conner Flynn — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:30:03 +0000

ECCEROBOT is an anthropomimetic robot. It is outfitted with bones, muscles, and even tendons in order to move the way that humans do. It does this very well, and it’s creepy to watch. Extra creepy thanks to it’s cyclops face and complete lack of skin.

ECCEROBOT was built by Professor Owen Holland of the University of Sussex. So what is this robot all about, aside from scaring humans silly and looking like a freshly-skinned cyclops? Well, Holland and his team believe that artificial intelligence can’t exist without an artificial body that informs a robot’s brain.

The idea is that their work on ECCEROBOT could help advance AI research and help them figure out how to get the brain to control the body in various ways, which is quite a challenge.

[BBC via TheDailyWhat via Neatorama]

Fake Ear Earphone Tidy: Store Your Buds in Someone Else’s Ears

Range — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:30:45 +0000

I’m not sure about these things, on top of creeping me out, these fake ears double as an earphone caddy. They will allow you to store your earbuds without getting the cords all tangled up, which is good since that shortens the life of your wires.

The aptly named Ear Tidy is made out of two realistic-looking silicone ears, mounted back to back. To store your earbuds, simply stick them into these fake ears. Then, wrap the cord around the middle part.

There’s no word yet one when they will be available and how much this thing will cost, but I’m guessing that it won’t be that expensive. Regardless, it’ll still be creepy.

[via DVice]

Pray That the Mantis Chair Doesn’t Prey on You

Hazel Chua — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:30:59 +0000

It’s no secret that I have this insane and inane fear of insects. Cockroaches, grasshoppers, crickets, preying mantis, you name it, and I’ll scream when I see it. This is all to the annoyance of my dad, who just swats at it or sweeps it out of the way when he sees one. So you’d probably understand my sheer refusal to sit on one of these Mantis Chairs, if ever I come across one.

I probably wouldn’t care if I had been standing the whole day or if my legs were cramping; I’d rather remain standing than sit in the arms (or legs?) of a gigantic, albeit wooden, preying mantis. This unique pest of a chair was designed by the folks over at Wildetect, who took inspiration from the African wilderness.

The chair doesn’t look comfortable at all, although I do have to admit that it looks pretty fine – if you’re into bugs. I can only imagine the reaction of other insectophobes like me when they walk into a dimly lit room and see the shadow of a gigantic mantis right there in the middle. I assure you, it won’t be a pretty sight (or sound.)

[via Yanko Design]

Evil Dead Bento Box: Food of the Undead

Hazel Chua — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:00:04 +0000

A lot of people are particular about the food that they eat. Aside from considering the nutritional content, there’s also taste, aroma, and of course, presentation. I don’t really care how my meals look like, as long as they taste good, with the exception of this Evil Dead Bento Box, that is.

I stared at the image for a good ten seconds before I could peel my eyes away from this edible abomination.

Let’s break it down, shall we? That’s rice right there for the face, some sea weed for the nose and other facial markings, and boiled eggs rimmed with black pepper for the eyes. I keep trying to guess what the teeth actually are, but I’m starting to feel queasy so I’ll leave the rest of the guesswork up to you.

I wonder if the person who made this ended up actually eating it. Because personally, I don’t think I could stomach this at all.

[via Kotaku via Obvious Winner]

Titanoboa is 50 Feet of Slithering Robot Snake, Looks Hungry

Conner Flynn — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:00:39 +0000

If this robot snake looks prehistoric to you, that’s because it is modeled after the actual prehistoric snake that shares the same name: Titanoboa. This 50-foot giant weighs over 2,000-pounds and yes it slithers around, making humans run.

Scary as this monstrosity is, it’s creators aren’t finished. They want to outfit it in better skin and give it the ability to move underwater. Like the real snake, Titanoboa will eventually support a rider, the Mondo Spider, which the same group also built. It can also be seen in the video below.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

God only knows what they will build next when they tire of playing with their robot spiders and snakes. I would say that these people need to be stopped, except that if I do say it, they will probably send these metal demons to my house and I will be slowly digested over 100 years in this snake’s belly.

One of the creators says that Titanoboa is supposed to make people contemplate historical climate change. No, that didn’t really work for me. It just makes me want to kill it and save humanity, even though I’d probably just hide in the corner and whimper when that failed.

[via TDW Geeks via Geekologie]

Automaton Hand Seems Very Impatient

Technabob — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 02:38:44 +0000

I’m always impressed by the handiwork of artists who can make automatons, given the fact they require not only creativity, but mechanical engineering skills as well.

Take, for example, this automaton which looks like a human hand.

This interactive hand sculpture has sort of a steampunk vibe to it, with its structure and mechanical parts made from brass, along with wood accents and the articulating hand itself made from resin.

It kind of reminds me of Thing from The Addams Family, but it’s just a cool mechanical hand that taps impatiently as you turn its hand-crank. Here, check it out in action:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Pretty cool (and a little creepy), no? This very special automaton sculpture was handmade by UK artist automatonman, and is being sold in a limited edition of just 20 over on Etsy. While it does sell for a rather pricy $750 (USD), you’ll be in great company, as one of these already sold to Pan’s Labyrinth/Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro.

Flashed Face Distortion Effect: Ugly Optical Illusion

Lambert Varias — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:49:35 +0000

Sean Murphy was looking at sets of faces for one of his experiments when he observed something really freaky. Skimming fairly rapidly through pictures of two faces side-by-side, Murphy started noticing that some of the people he had pictures of had grotesque and deformed faces. But when he looked at the pictures again, this time individually, they all looked normal.

Murphy, who undoubtedly possesses a strong stomach and an unbelievable resistance to nightmares, decided to look into the illusion further with the help of his colleagues Jason Tangen and Matthew Thompson. The three called it the “Flashed Face Distortion Effect”. Watch the video below and follow the instructions to make your brain creep you out.

Scary huh? Although Murphy, Tangen and Thompson have yet to fully explain the illusion, it seems as if it happens because we’re only given a short period of time to examine the pictures. For some reason our brains want to differentiate the two faces that we’re seeing, and to do so under the time constraint it ends up exaggerating the features of each face. For me it’s the slanted, evil eyes that creep me out the most.

[via Matthew Thompson's website & Perception via Videosift]

Hanako 2 Dental Robot: Useful, But Creepy

Hazel Chua — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 12:00:45 +0000

I have to admit, I’m not really a fan of artificial intelligence ever since I saw the movie A.I. (which stands for artificial intelligence.) Science and technology have definitely advanced to the point where realistic robots that closely resemble humans have now become a reality.

If you don’t agree with me on that one, then you might want to take a look at the Hanako 2 Dental Robot.

Can the pretty girl say “ahh”, please?

The Hanako 2 Dental Robot, as its name suggests and implies, is meant to be used as a practice dummy for dentistry students. Pull her teeth out, give her a cleaning, examine her molars–it’s all entirely up to you.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The Hanako 2 is a far cry from its predecessor in terms of what it can do. This version of the dental robot can sneeze, blink, roll its eyes, open and close its mouth, cough, and even gag if you stick your fingers too far back into its throat.

And thanks to the robot’s development team collaborating with some sex toy makers, Hanako 2′s skin now feels more realistic and human.

[via DigInfo TV via Dvice]

Real Life Pokémon: Don’t Wanna Catch Any of ‘Em

Lambert Varias — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 12:20:32 +0000

Characters from video games, comics and cartoons rarely look good in live action or when portrayed realistically, from Wolverine in his classic blue and yellow uniform to Mario in any of his numerous costumes. Animé characters are typically the most outlandish and should almost always remain animated. Which is why we shouldn’t be surprised at the results of artist Steven Lefcourt’s attempts to depict realistic Pokémon. We should be thoroughly creeped out though.

My goodness. That is a wild Pikachu. It’s still adorable though, if a bit big-headed. But it’s all downhill from here. Have a look at some of the other results of Lefcourt’s experiment:

I think more than the proportions or the dull skin, fur or texture, it’s the dead looks on their faces that are really unnerving. Check out Lefcourt’s Flickr set for more pics of these pocket monsters. He plans on adding more so keep checking back if you want. I’ve seen enough.

[via Geekologie via Archie McPhee]

Steampunk Mouse: More Like Evil Mad Scientist Mouse

Lambert Varias — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:04:58 +0000

The brain inside Peter Balch’s steampunk mouse may be fake – at least that’s what Balch says – but it’s as creepy as the steampunk mouse with sheep skull on it. Also, I can’t figure out how you’re supposed to hold this thing. Maybe it moves on its own.

Balch made the mouse mostly by culling parts from other objects. He started out by gutting an optical mouse. The mouse wheel is actually a coin, the left and right gold-plated bronze contacts are from “scrap electronics”, the mouse cable is covered by a shoelace, the glass dome is from a Victorian gas mantle, the railing is from a fake oil lamp, and the brain is ~~from a failed experiment to make an organic computer mouse~~ made from Fimo. A color-changing LED glued to the nut inside the dome is connected in parallel to the LED of the mouse, giving it that added creepy science factor.

Check out Balch’s website for more pictures and instructions. You can also send Balch an email if you don’t have the tinkering skills but you do have the ability to pay, and he’ll gladly make you a brainy steampunk mouse.

[via Hacked Gadgets]

Spot in Queue for iPad 2 Sold for $900

Lambert Varias — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:06:30 +0000

In a fit of madness that only Apple – and Lady Gaga – can induce, last March 11 a woman was able to sell the first spot in the iPad 2 line in Apple’s flagship New York store for $900 (USD). That’s just the spot, iPad 2 not included. Amanda Foote, the enterprising woman, said she waited nearly 41 hours – from 5pm of March 9 to 9am of March 11 – just so she could be the first in line at the store.

The man who bought the tickets was app developer Hazem Sayed. So now Foote has enough money to buy an iPad 2 and still have some left. Right? Actually she said was thinking of buying tickets to a Lady Gaga concert. This is what blows my mind about this whole thing, that she sat there for two days with no intent to buy an iPad 2 – she was just banking on selling the coveted first spot. And she was right. Here’s Mashable’s short interview with Foote:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

That was all for you Lady Gaga, I hope you gave Amanda one hell of a performance. Now you Mr. Sayed, you are one crazy rich Apple fan.

[via Mashable via T3 via Chaotic Planet]

Geminoid-DK: Robot in Disguise

Lambert Varias — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 13:06:47 +0000

We already featured one of Hiroshi Ishiguro’s Geminoid-F androids a while back. You’ll see how the people working on the robot are getting closer and closer to making something that’s indistinguishable from a real human.

This is Geminoid-DK, the first of its kind that’s being built outside Japan. It was created to “advance android science and philosophy”, and answer questions regarding identity, presence and what makes a human being human. I feel like I’m in an episode of Ghost in the Shell. Here’s a thoroughly amazing and/or creepy demo of Geminoid-DK:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Here’s the first time he smiled. The nervous laughter you’ll hear in the background are from Geminoid DK’s designers, who are no doubt wondering what the hell it is that they have done:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

I think the android’s breathing is a bit exaggerated, the skin is a bit pasty and the hair is dead giveaway that he’s not a real man. And yet I’m calling him he. Just a few more tweaks, and then we’re screwed. Nah. Bruce Willis will save us.

[via CrunchGear via Switched]

AFFETTO Robot Head Will Creep You Out

Range — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:48:34 +0000

I know that this isn’t really supposed to have anything to do with Halloween or scaring people, but what the heck guys, this robot baby head is really disturbing, especially when the guy starts moving the head around and the baby comes alive.

Osaka University’s AFFETTO was created to model a baby’s facial expressions. This was done in order to endear it to human caregivers. Ultimately, I think that the opposite was achieved. Yes, it’s creepy, very creepy.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

This might have something to do with the uncanny valley phenomenon in robotics, where humans are actually repulsed by robots exhibiting near or human-like behavior. You have to admit that this does look like a prop from a horror movie.

[via Ubergizmo]

TalkTorque 2 Robot Guides People at Museums and Creeps Them Out

Shane McGlaun — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:22:51 +0000

I admit that robots creep me out. It goes back to watching Saturn 3 as a kid. Even cute Johnny 5 couldn’t cure me of the creepies. This odd robot form Japan called Talk-Torque 2 [JP] falls somewhere in between Johnny 5 and Hector on the creepy scale for me.

It wears a dress and has a pointy head that’s rather like Sputnik. The bot was created at the Tsukuba University in Japan and was intended to improve the interaction between man and machine. The bot is supposed to master non-verbal communication with humans and serve as a guide by moving the head, arms, and waist.

The collar the bot wears has cameras and a laser range finder to help it determine position and direction.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

The thing reminds me of a character from some sci-fi flick or show, but I can’t quite place it. It will drive me crazy all day, so if you know the one I am thinking of, feel free to share.

[via Plastic Pals via CrunchGear]

Bioshock Splicer Welder Mask Arrives Too Late for Halloween

Technabob — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:29:08 +0000

If you were planning on scaring the crap out of your friends this Halloween by dressing up as one of the many creepy characters from the Bioshock universe, you’ll have to nix the welder mask-wielding Splicer from your list – at least this year.

While you will, in fact, be able to buy this replica Splicer welder mask, it’s not shipping until sometime in November. That’s okay, buy one anyhow, and wear it to your office Christmas party. I’m sure that won’t freak anyone out.

[via FashionablyGeek]

Quadrotor Drone Would be a Great Circus Performer. or Relentless Hunter.

Lambert Varias — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:24:35 +0000

The University of Pennsylvania’s autonomous quadrotor helicopter reminds me of a dog. It’s just waiting to be unleashed, to do tricks, to zip from one place to another.

It can do backflips, even triple backflips, pass through narrow spaces without breaking a sweat, and can even be upgraded with Velcro. Just like dogs.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

How freaky would it be to have a swarm of these hunting you down?

[via DIY Drones]

Fossils of the Mechazoic Era: the What Now?

Lambert Varias — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:53:04 +0000

Poor dead bird.

Wait what the –

It’s a dead robo-bird! Artist/illustrator/futurechologist Justin Chase Black, more respectfully addressed as Mr. ThrowingChicken, recently finished the awesome looking Creatures of the Mechazoic Era, a series of sculptures that look like fossilized remains from a time yet to come.

According to monsieur ThrowingChicken, “Over the past several months I have been gathering reference photography, gathering animal bones, doing sketches, talking with geologists and fossil experts, working with fellow artists, building the bucks, making the molds and pulling the casts. This series offers a little look at what we might be digging up millions of years from now, and it just might be the remains of technology that has yet to be created.”

Who’s creeped out by the android? *raises hand* Who wants more Mechazoic fossils? See a few more pics at ThrowingChicken’s deviantART page.

[via Metafilter]

Scariest Cosplayer on Earth

Lambert Varias — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:03:54 +0000

HO.LY.CRAP. Somebody really likes Akuma.

Taken by Flickr user earthdog at FanimeCon 2010. I sure am glad he wasn’t Shun Goku Satsu’d when he snapped this pic.

[via Gamefreaks]