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back to article Dolphin speaks: Ditch the iPad, give me the Toughbook!

Dolphins are being taught to use computers to communicate with humans. A human-cetacean translation tool will be demonstrated in early 2011 - with hardware supplied by Panasonic and its range of Toughbook laptops. Jack Kassewitz, 63, co-founder of SpeakDolphin, a Miami-based group that conducts dolphin research, originally …

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  1. proto-robbie
    Linux

    Yo dude

    pr0n !

    1 0
  2. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    bye and

    thanks for all the fish!

    2 2
  3. ian 22
    Thumb Up

    Dolphins taught to communicate with Humans

    Of course they are- being more intelligent than humans, it is simpler for them to learn to communicate down to us.

    However, I suspect that they only ever bother because they find us so amusing.

    1 1
  4. The Other Steve
    WTF?

    Originally purchased an Apple iPad ?

    What the hell for ? I mean FFS, I'm a big fan of the fondle slab, but I am not filled with confidence in the ability of these people to communicate with dolphins if their first choice of platform for this task was an iPad.

    Time will tell, I suppose, and we'll know if they've cracked it if the first translated sentence goes something like : "[untranslated sound : laughter ?] look, that monkey dropped his shiny thing in the tank, what a [untranslated phrase : relating to genitals ?] dumb ass "

    4 0
  5. Lottie

    cool

    "When two different dolphins are shown an uncharted object - a flower pot, for example - the response is almost identical and different from other sounds"

    So what IS the dolphin for "wotthefuckizzat?"

    Actually, I can imagine that the dolphins ould enjoy this new toy. Means they can think down to our level without getting a migrane.

    2 0
    1. nickrw
      Reply Icon
      Go

      Re: cool

      I for one would be most surprised if dolphins had a word for 'flowerpot'. Unless, lit. 'Coral barrier'.

      1 0
  6. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    Their first (and last) message:

    "So long, and thanks for all the fish"

    4 0
  7. TeeCee Gold badge
    WTF?

    Of course they are intelligent.

    Why else would their fear of damaging the shiny tech toys be a major factor in their willingness to take part in the study?

    It says something about how mind-numbingly stupid and brand-obsessed humans are that it took a bloody dolphin to point out that the iPad was entirely unsuitable for the task......

    2 0
    1. Ef'd
      Reply Icon

      Title

      I think the dolphins noticed the humans' fear. As in the guy holding the slab was afraid of dropping it, and the dolphin picked up on that.

      3 0
  8. The Indomitable Gall

    I'm torn...

    I'm torn between "wow, this is so cool" and "wow, what the hell have they been smoking".

    I'm particularly tickled by the notion of dolphin music, but there's been so many people "interpreting" everything from ancient etchings to unusual rock formations as "music"....

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  9. thomas k.
    Thumb Up

    nice music

    The musical piece was actually kind of nice, although it was marred by strange clicking/buzzing noises.

    0 0

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  11. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Any excuse

    to get a toughbook.

    Hey boss, I can haz toughbook?

    0 0
  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Day of the Dolphin

    http://www.impawards.com/1973/day_of_the_dolphin_ver3.html

    0 0
  13. Gaz 5

    Title

    Bonus points if the flowerpot contained Petunias!

    3 0
  14. Cucumber C Face
    Paris Hilton

    Flowerpot?!

    Flowerpots would be top of my list of cultural artifacts shared between human and dolphin.

    Paris? Maybe one of her home movies next.

    1 0
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