I think this lamp operates on the same principle as those popup animal toys many of us had as kids. Remember those toys?

I'm talking about the toys with the legs, neck, and tail that are made of beads and string. When the string is tight, the animal stands up and when the string is loosened, the animal sort of flops down. Often there's a little button on the bottom of the stand that controls the tension of the string.

I think this lamp operates on the same principle as those pop up animal toys many of us had as kids. Remember those?

The legs, neck, and tail of the animal were made of beads and string. When the string was tight, the legs, neck, and tail would straighten and the animal would pop up. When you loosened the string, the animal would sort of flop down. Usually there was a spring loaded button on the base of the toy that you could press to make the animal flop or pop.

Yep, I remember those! It's almost certainly the same principle, I agree.

I find it creepy because it's imitating a perfect slave. I wouldn't keep a pet if I knew it was unhappy all the time I was away.

Now the lamp obviously isn't really suffering when the owner is gone, but later it Won't Be So Clear. As we get used to this lamp the next version is going to need better and better emotion-imitation, until it can pass for a sentient who lives only in the light of our regard, and that's a damn creepy taste.

I think they should make a lamp that gets angry when you're gone for too long and attacks you when you return.

Or the lamp and the Aibo could decide they like each other better than anyone, leading to destructive passive-aggressive behavior on the part of the Roomba.

_Danny Dunn and the Intelligent House_ didn't get this far.

nice site!