Comments on: 80 Teddy Ruxpins with robot voices tell you how the Internet feels http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 20 Jun 2013 05:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: ThreeOranges http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1460349 ThreeOranges Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1460349 I didn't realize that the Internet had feelings other than hate.  I didn’t realize that the Internet had feelings other than hate. 

]]> By: taghag http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1460028 taghag Wed, 27 Jun 2012 06:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1460028 a friend of mine did something similar with a punch and judy setup streaming comments from an anonymous forum in the netherlands renowned for its low-class comments: https://vimeo.com/42392524 a friend of mine did something similar with a punch and judy setup streaming comments from an anonymous forum in the netherlands renowned for its low-class comments:
https://vimeo.com/42392524

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1460016 EH Wed, 27 Jun 2012 06:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1460016 I told u I was hardcore I told u I was hardcore

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1460012 EH Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1460012 Did you hear they're making a movie about them? Directed by <i>Seth MacFarlane!</i> Did you hear they’re making a movie about them? Directed by Seth MacFarlane!

]]> By: petsounds http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459983 petsounds Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459983 Their linked site has more technical details about the build: "The bears which invoke the presence of the anonymous online poster are 1980s style Teddy Ruxpin dolls that have been significantly modified for the installation. Each bear’s original circuitry has been removed and replaced with a controller board designed specifically for the installation (figure 1). These custom boards allow the centralized control computer to animate each bears eyes and mouths for lip-syncing with a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal which replaces the bears original cassette tape based tone modulation control scheme." It sounded to me from the video that the synthesized voices were actually coming from a centralized speaker system and not from each Ruxpin, probably from the same computer that drives their animations. According to the article, the tweets are gathered via a data stream from the wefeelfine.org site. The technical build intrigues me more than what the piece says. I feel like their statement falls a bit flat and contrived, but I appreciate the technical work that went into it. Their linked site has more technical details about the build:

“The bears which invoke the presence of the anonymous online poster are 1980s style Teddy Ruxpin dolls that have been significantly modified for the installation. Each bear’s original circuitry has been removed and replaced with a controller board designed specifically for the installation (figure 1). These custom boards allow the centralized control computer to animate each bears eyes and mouths for lip-syncing with a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal which replaces the bears original cassette tape based tone modulation control scheme.”

It sounded to me from the video that the synthesized voices were actually coming from a centralized speaker system and not from each Ruxpin, probably from the same computer that drives their animations. According to the article, the tweets are gathered via a data stream from the wefeelfine.org site.

The technical build intrigues me more than what the piece says. I feel like their statement falls a bit flat and contrived, but I appreciate the technical work that went into it.

]]> By: mzed http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459978 mzed Wed, 27 Jun 2012 05:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459978 wow wow

]]> By: acidrain69 http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459905 acidrain69 Wed, 27 Jun 2012 04:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459905 Version 2: 2 of them talk at the same time, and a score is assigned to the negativity or positivity of the message based on certain key words. A battle of sorts ensues. The winner (determined by the larger absolute value of their negative or positive) does ..... (fill in the blank) Version 2: 2 of them talk at the same time, and a score is assigned to the negativity or positivity of the message based on certain key words. A battle of sorts ensues. The winner (determined by the larger absolute value of their negative or positive) does ….. (fill in the blank)

]]> By: nixiebunny http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459841 nixiebunny Wed, 27 Jun 2012 03:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459841 I want it to speak all that fine Nigerian scam spam I keep getting.  I want it to speak all that fine Nigerian scam spam I keep getting. 

]]> By: gws http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459766 gws Wed, 27 Jun 2012 02:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459766 I wish they would all talk at the same time, THAT would be something. I wish they would all talk at the same time, THAT would be something.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459760 Boundegar Wed, 27 Jun 2012 02:12:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459760 Yknow what would be fun?  Feed 4chan to Teddy Ruxpin! Yknow what would be fun?  Feed 4chan to Teddy Ruxpin!

]]> By: Jonathan Roberts http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459747 Jonathan Roberts Wed, 27 Jun 2012 02:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459747 It reminds me of the short film 'Alma':  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irbFBgI0jhM It reminds me of the short film ‘Alma’: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irbFBgI0jhM

]]> By: itsgene http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459739 itsgene Wed, 27 Jun 2012 01:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459739 This reminds me of Ben Rubin's "Listening Post" - with fur. This reminds me of Ben Rubin’s “Listening Post” – with fur.

]]> By: jimh http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459658 jimh Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459658 LOL at the REO Speedwagon lyric "I can't fight this feeling..." LOL at the REO Speedwagon lyric “I can’t fight this feeling…”

]]> By: timquinn http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459654 timquinn Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459654 The first time I went on "Its a small world" I wanted to scream and tear out my eyes. I wondered what everyone else was so happy about. This reminds me of that moment. The first time I went on “Its a small world” I wanted to scream and tear out my eyes. I wondered what everyone else was so happy about. This reminds me of that moment.

]]> By: Ethan Taliesin Houser http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459620 Ethan Taliesin Houser Tue, 26 Jun 2012 23:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459620 I find this weak.  Now, if the bears all started vomiting red Karo syrup at once while talking, that would be profound.  (no it wouldn't, but it would be "weird" and that, I think, is the extent of this "art" installation)) I find this weak.  Now, if the bears all started vomiting red Karo syrup at once while talking, that would be profound.  (no it wouldn’t, but it would be “weird” and that, I think, is the extent of this “art” installation))

]]> By: crummett http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459617 crummett Tue, 26 Jun 2012 23:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459617 I saw this here in Portland. It's even creepier in person. I saw this here in Portland. It’s even creepier in person.

]]> By: BombBlastLightingWaltz http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459573 BombBlastLightingWaltz Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459573 Using a Teddy Ruskstin, or whatever its called, with its pre-conceived notions of psychotic tendancies, does devalues sentiments of art regardless of how securely fixed under CCTV surveilllance Using a Teddy Ruskstin, or whatever its called, with its pre-conceived notions of psychotic tendancies, does devalues sentiments of art regardless of how securely fixed under CCTV surveilllance

]]> By: Sean http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459565 Sean Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:48:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459565 accepted. accepted.

]]> By: Jonathan Vanasco http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459559 Jonathan Vanasco Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459559 this reminds me of the "Wall of Furbies"    It was at the bitforms gallery in NYC in 2002, the artist was Kelly Heaton. i believe this is an earlier version of that work: http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~kelly/Furby/MIT_RL_10_01/MIT_RL_10_01.htm this reminds me of the “Wall of Furbies”    It was at the bitforms gallery in NYC in 2002, the artist was Kelly Heaton.

i believe this is an earlier version of that work: http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~kelly/Furby/MIT_RL_10_01/MIT_RL_10_01.htm

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459546 Mister44 Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459546 If you weren't having nightmares like this before... well... you're welcome! If you weren’t having nightmares like this before… well… you’re welcome!

]]> By: Mister44 http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459544 Mister44 Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459544  Is... is that a challenge?  Is… is that a challenge?

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459500 Antinous / Moderator Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459500 There's not enough vodka and Vicodin in the world to make that go away. There’s not enough vodka and Vicodin in the world to make that go away.

]]> By: Bashtarle http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459483 Bashtarle Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459483 I think that is hands down the single creepiest thing I have ever seen in my life.  Keep up the good work :) I think that is hands down the single creepiest thing I have ever seen in my life. 

Keep up the good work :)

]]> By: Ethan Holman http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459477 Ethan Holman Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459477 God, sometimes I get so sick of hearing about TED talks. God, sometimes I get so sick of hearing about TED talks.

]]> By: Martin John Callanan http://boingboing.net/2012/06/26/80-teddy-ruxpins-with-robot-vo.html#comment-1459462 Martin John Callanan Tue, 26 Jun 2012 21:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=167697#comment-1459462 [] []

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