One of the briefs on my impending Sheffield job is to work on an experimental health and fitness agent, one that is able to discuss your fitness plans and motivate you on a daily basis. Now health and fitness is very important to me, I can usually be found sparring or running with equally insane people at 7am. When I’m not doing this I’ll be competing in triathlons or killing myself on a rock face. Mind you, I’m not any good at these things I just enjoying doing it.

And now I’m a little worried. I’m worried because I think I would be more likely to benefit from one of these:

than one of these:

One is an inspirationally designed but relatively simple robot and the other is a prototype that will require a very advanced dialogue system. The problem is that no matter how advanced the bunny, no matter how detailed the reasoning, at 6am I can just turn it off . By comparison, Clocky demands a response because it’s bloody annoying and if you’re up at 6 you might as well go for a run!

Seriously though, personal trainers and sports clubs work because if you don’t go training they will know about it. The social stigma motivates you to get up. Clocky works because if you don’t stop it it will carry on, remorselessly. Could we ever find ourselves in a situation where we go for a run on a wet December morning because if we don’t an artificial bunny will ‘know’ about it? I’m not sure, but I’m looking forward to finding out.