Best known for being the cake-promising villain from the Portal video game franchise, GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System) is an artificially super-intelligent computer system responsible for testing and maintenance at the Aperture Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Center. And, despite her evident hatred for test subjects, she holds a fond place in many gamers’ hearts. So fond that Dave Niewinski of Youtube channel Dave’s Armoury decided to build himself a real-life version to keep himself company in his lab.
Dave used NVIDIA’s Jetson developer platform (created for developing AI-powered robots, smart drones, and intelligent cameras) to build GLaDOS, giving her the capability to answer queries in her robotic voice, and has two cameras she uses to pinpoint a person’s location so she can follow the around the room with her “eye.”
Would GLaDOS be unsettling to have in my own home? Yes. Do I still want one? Also yes. I get so lonely sometimes that even the companionship of a villainous robot would be a pleasant break from the quiet monotony. I’ll just have to keep reminding myself that the cake is a lie.
[via TechEBlog]
With over 17 years of writing experience, Jonathan has had a passion for all things tech-related, ever since watching Inspector Gadget as a child. He's disassembled countless appliances and managed to put a few back together, and one still works. When not writing, he can often be found playing video games or accidentally hurting himself in the garage.