That's David Hanson. He invented a synthetic skin for android faces called Frubber( almost sounds like flubber). The skin stretches and folds naturally like real skin. Hanson created several heads that test the skin through emotional expressions via molded on fabric hooks on fishing wire connected to servo motors. As for the software, I have watched most of these videos and from what I can tell, its just text to speech. how I found out was in one of them, the robot says "Ummm, Ummm," for a question about sex, which is too natural for a robot to say, unless someone was typing from behind the camera. I believe that the videos are not focusing on if the robot is self aware, but to demonstrate the realistic expression of the Frubber faces through interaction with people. However, there might be an A.I. program that Hanson acquired later from a company when his team had constructed the Philip K. **** interactive robot. But if you think that's bizarre, that's nothing compared to his earlier ones, which were heads of a woman and even that of Albert Einstein on Asimo-type bodies ( I wonder if Hanson built a Nixon with a Bender body?) . As for a commercial use for this, an Astro Boy like robot called Zenu will be released sometime soon.
GW, I think you could pull this kind of project off. You already gotten farther than most of us modifying and hacking the bust's tech, so you already left it open for other possible applications. I'm excited to see how this will turn out when your finished. I thought the vid really was a hacked Elvis bust, until I saw the facial expressions and Hanson. Still, it does inspire a Elvis hacking idea.

OMG I am so happy to have found this site, I recently bought three of these guys to attempt to hack for Halloween props and am thrilled to see other people already ahead of me with there hacks, this will same me a lot of trial and error. Keep up the good work, I am going to read this whole thread now and catch up where you guys are at.

By the way, if any of you are interested, these are starting to pop up all over eBay, and the ones I bought I stole for $99 each including shipping!

I am still trying to learn the navigation of this forum, can you tell me where I can find these threads?

The Tranny Elvis Chatbot (running ALICE based chatbot):

defwheezer said: The Tranny Elvis Chatbot (running ALICE based chatbot):

This tranny looks like Elvinator's sister. Refer to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert for the wig and makeup:

"And there are those people who are catfish in life; and they keep you on your toes. They keep you guessing. They keep you thinking. They keep you fresh."- from the movie Catfish (2010)

This tranny looks like Elvinator's sister. Refer to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

-- Scary, but funny as hell!!