Go,Dog, Go: Maze Training AIBO vs. a Live Dog,An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in interaction and attribution when participants directed either a robotic dog (AIBO) or a live dog. Twenty-nine participants (20 female, 9 male) directed one of the two entities, a live dog or AIBO, through a complex maze from a remote location by providing voice commands. Participants were given identical feedback regarding the entity's performance during the maze task. While directing the dog or AIBO through the maze, participants rated their own moods. Following the maze task, participants rated the dog or AIBO on a variety of attributes. Vocal data were analyzed for content and fundamental frequency. Results indicate that although vocal content and mood ratings did not differ when participants interacted with the dog versus AIBO, fundamental frequency was higher when participants talked to the dog rather than the AIBO. The dog and AIBO were also rated differently on several attributes after the maze task. Overall, the results suggest that human responses during interactions with live and robotic animals can be superficially similar, yet distinctly different when examined at a deeper level.     

Proteomics in China: Ready for prime time

Proteomics is a newborn science focusing on the comprehensive systematic analysis of all proteins in molecule machineries,organelles,cells,tissues,organs or intact organisms.It has been becoming one of the focuses in life sciences and cutting-edge techniques in biotechnologies in the 21st century.During the last decade,proteomics in China has developed much faster than other developing fields in the life sciences.This review article briefly retrospects the origin and development of proteomics in China,and p...