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Robot goes missing

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This file photo shows a reporter with Russian TV's Channel 1 interviewing an
android version of science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick at the NextFest 2005 in
Chicago.
Photo: AFP

February 13, 2006 - 12:43PM

Philip K Dick is missing.

Not the American science fiction writer whose novels spawned hit films such
as Blade Runner and Total Recall -- he died more than 20 years ago -- but a
state-of-the-art robot named after the author.

The quirky android, was lost in early January while en route to California by
commercial airliner.

"We can't find Phil," said Steve Prilliman of Dallas-based Hanson Robotics,
which created the futuristic robot with the FedEx Institute of Technology at the
University of Memphis, the Automation and Robotics Research Institute at the
University of Texas at Arlington and Dick's friend Paul Williams.

"We're very worried because it's been a few weeks now," said Prilliman.
"We're pressing hard to find Phil."

Robotics wizard and lead designer David Hanson built the robot as a memorial
to Dick, whose 1968 book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? inspired the 1982
classic Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford.

Short stories by Dick, who died in 1982, served as inspiration for other hit
films including the 1990 Total Recall, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the
2002 Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise.

In Blade Runner, set in a Los Angeles of 2019, Harrison Ford plays Rick
Deckhard, a Blade Runner or policeman whose job is to track down and terminate
escaped human clones known as "replicants."

The irony of the situation -- a missing replica of the very author who
championed "replicant" freedom -- is not lost on Phil's creators.

But they still want him back.

"We really need to find him soon because the Smithsonian wants to put him in
a travelling collection in the autumn," said Prilliman referring to Washington's
Smithsonian Institute, an organisation of museums and art galleries.

Along with an eerie likeness to the author, the robot features award-winning
artificial intelligence that mimics the writer's mannerisms and lifelike skin
material to affect realistic expressions.

Top-of-the-line voice software loaded with data from Dick's vast body of
writing allows the robot to carry on natural-sounding conversations, although it
does come off as a bit doddering at times.

Biometric-identification software and advanced machine vision allows the
robot to recognise people -- even in a crowd -- read their expressions and body
language and talk to them sounding a lot like a normal, albeit slightly senile,
author who likes to quote his own books when he gets confused.

Prilliman and others close to Phil baulked at giving too many details about
his disappearance including the name of the airline that was transporting the
robot when he went missing.

Hanson officials said news of Phil's disappearance could hamper the ongoing
investigation and search for the robot.

The company officials said they feared ransom demands might be made or Phil
could turn up listed for sale on an internet auction house such as eBay.

A spokeswoman, Elaine Hanson, said the company is considering building a new
android if the original Phil does not turn up.

AFP

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1139679514495-smh.com.auhttp://www.smh.com.au/news/world/robot-goes-missing/2006/02/13/1139679514495.htmlsmh.com.auAAP2006-02-13Robot
goes
missing
World
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/02/13/android_wideweb__470x312,0.jpg
This
file photo shows a reporter with Russian TV's Channel 1 interviewing an android
version of science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick at the NextFest 2005 in
Chicago.
470312APhttp://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/02/13/android_index-thumb__60x40.jpg
Android
version of science-fiction writer Philip K.
Dick.
6040AFPhttp://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/02/13/android_syndicated__430x286.jpg
This
file photo shows a reporter with Russian TV's Channel 1 interviewing an android
version of science-fiction writer Philip K. Dick at the NextFest 2005 in
Chicago.
470312APhttp://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/02/13/android_mobile__240x160.jpg
Android
version of science-fiction writer Philip K.
Dick.
6040AFP

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