Yeah!  I saw that on TV two nights ago, they say they hope the robot will
replace all personnel that gives guided tours; the broadcasters made some
off the cuff remarks about how the Smithsonian is going to save a bundle
by not having to pay tour guides nor have to deal with benefits and
vacation leave and so forth.  My understanding is that most of the
Smithsonian's tour guides are volunteers, and you know how much they get
paid.

The robot will probably be a novelty for a while, but after that, a real
human being is gonna be needed.  Imagine all the money they'll have to
spend on the maintenance of this machine, probably lots more than they
planned.

O
Olivia S. Anastasiadis, Curator
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace
18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard
Yorba Linda, CA  92886
(714) 993-5075 ext. 224; fax (714) 528-0544; e-mail:  [log in to unmask]

On Fri, 28 Aug 1998 11:22:06 -0400 Roger Wulff <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>To the person who requested information on Robots in the Museum:
>
>I am sorry but I deleted your posting to the list and can not reply to
>you off-list.
>
>I noted on last night's local TV news here in Washington, D.C., that
>The
>National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution was
>now working on a project (called Minerva) in which a robot interacted
>with visitors to the museum and even served as a tour guide for some
>visitors.
>
>The Minerva Project has been posted to the news station's Web Page -
>WRCTV Channel 4 NBC in Washington, D.C.
>
>Kind Regards
>
>Roger Wulff
>Museum Services International
>
>/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
>Visit our New Web Site and our New BARNES & NOBLE MUSEUM BOOKSTORE at:
>
>        http://www.washingtonpost.com/yp/museumshopint
>
>Museum Services International is a non-profit organization which
>provides planning and implementation services in all areas of cultural
>and museum operations - especially in the area of "Economuseology."
>/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
>

_____________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com
Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]