Big Brother Bear
Is Watching You
By Peter Zimonjic
The Telegraph - UK
3-12-5
It has been a favourite children's toy for generations, but the teddy
bear might never be the same again. Microsoft, the American computer
giant, has designed a bear containing microphones, a camera and
technology that will allow it to watch a child's every move.
The bear, which the corporation has rather unimaginatively named
Teddy, can use face recognition software to watch any child whose
image has been programmed into its computer.
When a child moves, the bear's head pans across the room allowing it
to send pictures to a parent watching via a remote video link. The
parent would be able to speak to the child via the bear's sound
system, giving the adult the chance to shout a warning or other
instruction when required.
It may sound Orwellian but Steven Bathiche, who created the bear for
Microsoft, said that it could help parents by taking on the
characteristics of the person who owned the toy and helping them to
monitor their child's movements even when they were busy.
"The vision behind this is to be in two places at once. This is what
we are aiming for," he said.
The prototype bear was one of about 150 projects displayed at a recent
two-day "tech fest" organised by Microsoft in Redmond, Washington, to
give its worldwide teams of researchers the chance to show off their
imaginative creations.
Most of the new inventions, including the bear, are based on the
assumption that, before long, computers will move beyond the keyboard
and mouse pad and into everyday domestic goods, including stuffed
toys.
The bear is powered by motors inside its belly which operate its head
and limbs.
There are also four microphones and a sound system to send and
broadcast messages, a wireless network connection to the internet, and
the latest computer software.
A spokesman for Microsoft, which has yet to set a date to begin
commercial production of the bear, said: "He has face tracking
capabilities and will react as though he was shy or embarrassed if
there are a lot of people around him. One of the scenarios we envision
in the future is that you could be playing Monopoly with your child
and Teddy will play with you."
In addition to playing games, the bear's creators are also hoping that
the toy could be used as an educational tool by installing teaching
programs that would help children to learn simple concepts and ideas.
Claire Rayner, the agony aunt who is also the patron of Kidscape, a
children's charity, said that she had doubts about the merits of the
new toy. "The first thing it made me think of was Brave New World,"
she said. "What children want is human contact.
"To condition children that a teddy bear is a talking, caring parent
does not go very far towards raising someone that will later relate
well with adults.
"It doesn't make sense. Instinctively children bond with whatever is
cuddly and nice to them and talks to them. If this toy actually does
talk to them in familiar voices, I would be very disturbed by that, it
is too inhuman."
Roger Vincent, a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Accidents, said that the toy could be useful but gave a warning to
parents that they should not rely upon the technology to watch over
their children.
"Many accidents occur when children are not watched carefully enough.
Unless the bear can follow the child around, pick them up and keep
them out of trouble parents would be well advised to stay
responsible," he said.
"The danger comes when parents over-rely on technology. Machines
should only ever be used as a back up, not as a primary care giver."
© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2005.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.
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