Jibo may be the “closest thing to a real life teleportation device,” but as a prototype it currently has limited functionality. It can “take photos or video, track movements for more dynamic video filming, perform stories for children, give verbal reminders, and generally hang out.” Of course, these services are only the tip of the iceberg. As Katie Couric notes, “Breazeal sees Jibo, along with other social robots she’s developed, as playing a big role in educating children and health care management and aiding the elderly.”

Garfield Center Social Media Discussion 14125 (Photo credit: tedeytan)

Since we’re in early days, it is hard to assess how a device like Jibo will impact our lives. Over at Time, skepticism has been voiced about whether there actually will be real market demand.

“If home automation goes mainstream, a dedicated robot won’t be necessary, because our phones will do a better job of signaling when we’ve walked through the front door. The idea of having your messages read to you when you get home is a throwback to answering machines, which are obsolete now that we can check our messages from anywhere…

There is something to be said for a device that can persistently listen for your commands and act on them, but this is the same problem that wearable devices are trying to solve, and they’re better-suited to being wherever you are. While group photos and telepresence are potentially useful, now we’re getting into some very specific situations that don’t really justify a $500 purchase, regardless of how endearing Jibo tries to be. The only way Jibo makes sense as a robot is if it gains more physical capabilities, like a way to clean your windows or cook dinner, but it’s far too early to say whether that’s going to happen.”

Now, whether or not this pessimistic prognostic proves right, I still believe the underlying intention animating Breazel’s project deserves careful consideration. My concern, here, goes beyond the potential pitfalls folks have already identified, even the issues related to security, privacy, manipulation, and liability expertly outlined by law professor Ryan Calo.

As noted in Wired:

“Jibo takes what we’ve learned from smartphone and tablet experiences, specifically from voice interactions in systems like Google Now, and builds on it. It does much of what the software on your devices can already do—learn your preferences, predict your needs—but it does everything with more personality.”

This is the key issue. Jibo isn’t designed to be a tool. Instead, it was created to be a “partner” who does our bidding and anticipates our desires, all the while seducing us with the promise of “heightened interpersonal, emotional engagement and connection.” And herein lies the rub. However social or intelligent Jibo turns out to be, it won’t fully replicate human social interactions. Some of the things it won’t—indeed can’t—do probably will play a significant role in determining what we use it for.

Click Here to read more...