First of all, apologies for the radio silence. I've been sequestered in reading and committee for the last few weeks. Today may be a Sunday, but it is no different. But before I once again immerse myself in the awesomeness that is all of you, I wanted to share this different awesome thing.
This thing is TOFU.
TOFU is the baby of Ryan Wistort, a grad student over at the Personal Robots research group. I often characterize the Media Lab as being "the place where everything cool that has been invented over the last 20 years has been invented."
(Reminder to self: blog entry about the ML at some point this summer)
Anyway, here is how Ryan describes TOFU:
TOFU is a project to explore new ways of robotic social expression by leveraging techniques that have been used in 2d animation for decades. Disney Animation Studios pioneered animation tools such as “squash and stretch” and “secondary motion” in the 30’s. Such techniques have since been used widely by animators, but are not commonly used to design robots. TOFU, who is named after the squashing and stretching food product, can also squash and stretch. Clever use of compliant materials and elastic coupling, provide an actuation method that is vibrant yet robust. Instead of using eyes actuated by motors, TOFU uses inexpensive OLED displays, which offer highly dynamic and lifelike motion.
That all sounds very fancy and highminded but the important thing is that TOFU is freakin adorable
Remember, all based off Pixar dynamics. So it's art, imitating art, imitating life - and it makes me make this face: 
Yes please!
Comments (Closed after 30 days to reduce spam)
Posted by: Duh! on February 27, 2011
Why don't you say something about the decisions?
When will they come up? Pi day again?
P.S. Media lab is TERRIFIC!
Posted by: Observer on February 27, 2011
"something"
Posted by: Chris Peterson @ MIT Admissions on February 27, 2011
that we will make and release decisions at some point this calendar year
Posted by: Chris Peterson @ MIT Admissions on February 27, 2011
some people will be accepted, some will not.
for members of both groups, the sun will continue to rise, and life will carry on. some of them will like to eat bacon with their breakfasts; others will not.
one day, one of them will skin a knee while playing basketball in her driveway. "ouch" she will say, and then continue to play. whether or not she was admitted will not affect this.
peace.
Posted by: Chris Peterson @ MIT Admissions on February 27, 2011
Your comments are so relieving!. :-p
you took away all of my anxiety now. :-p
Posted by: Dimitris on February 27, 2011
By the way, the link to "Personal Robots research group" is broken. :(
and @ Chris: Thank goodness! That's a huge load off my shoulders! Hehe
Posted by: P. Ovidius Naso on February 27, 2011
I thought they're gonna be released at some point in next couple of years!
Thanks.
Posted by: Observer on February 27, 2011
P.S. When will the decisions come out, btw?
Haha
Posted by: Anonymous on February 27, 2011
that we will make and release decisions at some point this calendar year"
Well done sir, I LOL'ed. Love it.
Guys, I'm an applicant much like you all, and am just as anxious to know when decisions will be released, but if you would look for a pattern, you'd notice that a) The admissions officers will tell us when the decisions come out literally as soon as THEY know (at this point they likely have no idea) and b) It will likely be a post by Matt, and c) That post will be sometime during the first week of March not now, and d) TOFU is damn cute, and e) aw hell, I'm running out of alphabet here.
Posted by: James '15 (?) on February 27, 2011
all your trophies are belong to us.
sincerely,
a "totally legit" admissions dude.
Posted by: a "totally legit" admissions dude on February 27, 2011
Posted by: No on February 27, 2011
Yup..thumbs up for the entry, Chris! It does a great job at taking my mind off all things irksome (decisions(!!) and examinations).
Having read an article about Singularity just this morning, looking at a cute robot with adorable expressions is messing with my mind! I don't know whether to be optimistic about the future and hope that it will be filled with nice and friendly, super-smart intellingences, or hide under my bed (yea, right..like that's going to work!) and protect myself from those with sinister motives hidden behind lovely button-eyes.
Posted by: Nikita on February 27, 2011
Don't think Admission is the only thing you need to worry about in the world. An update in the process would not do you much good, because let's face it, you either got in or you didn't. So just wait til pi day like a good little kid.
Posted by: Anon on February 27, 2011
Posted by: Emily on February 27, 2011
That's so cool, and it's just so cute !
Posted by: Shahriar on February 27, 2011
Posted by: Bhaskar on February 27, 2011
It's a little late for that, I skinned my knee playing basketball yesterday!
:]
Posted by: She on February 27, 2011
Fine.. We dont want any *Intel* on how many are selected and when is the date coming out...
How about you just share with us your experience on reading our Application... Please just end it by saying " application reading is fun.. All the applicants have a good potential"
Give us somthing Juicy Like a essay that attracted you.. Things like that... I know you must be busy reading applications.. so Just do it once in a week.. not like a long silence and nothing on the admission process...
It was actually like.. we were Waiting for Christmas so that Santa could bring us gifts and later he shows up with nothin....
Posted by: Duh! on February 27, 2011
Posted by: A Dude on February 27, 2011
Thanks for your Unexpected Loads of love...
One can't take admission so easily as you say if the admission results are actually gonna change the world He is gonna live in...
As you can See...
Delta World = Delta Admission
*Integrating on both sides*
World = Admission
so it does worry me when there is a Hole in the Ozone layer above my world..
PS: Just had to do a little maths cos you may understand better if you are a Nerd..
Posted by: Duh! on February 27, 2011
The line was supposed to be "Please just *Dont* end it by saying " application reading is fun.. All the applicants have a good potential"
My Mistake :/
Posted by: Duh! on February 27, 2011
Posted by: FarhanN5 on February 27, 2011
On another note, I'd agree with Chris with regards to what he has to say about the Media Lab. It's got a dubious(?) distinction for being a font of inventions. All I hope is that the momentum is never lost. Can't really expect people to sit around twiddling their thumbs in the ML, can we?
Also, Chris, 'lulz' for your incredible insights about the admission process at this point.
Posted by: Vivek on February 27, 2011
Posted by: Vivek on February 27, 2011
Posted by: Elizabeth '13 on February 27, 2011
Two robots made me feel emotionally insecure. Guess that says a lot about me...
Posted by: Vivek on February 28, 2011
omg. so much cuteness. i can't handle it.
Posted by: Hamsika '13 on February 28, 2011
Cheers to Ryan,
Cheers to TOFU,
Cheers to Chris,
Cheers to MIT!
Posted by: Prasidda on February 28, 2011
mr. peterson, you're awesome.
Posted by: Phoebe on February 28, 2011
Posted by: HeyJoe on March 1, 2011
For those who are wondering who Ben Jones is...
He was the Dir.communications
Check this out..
http://www.mitadmissions.org/topics/apply/the_selection_process_application_reading_committee_and_decisions/its_more_than_a_job.shtml
Posted by: orangeCookie on March 1, 2011
Posted by: Alex S on March 3, 2011
Comments have been closed.