Weight Loss Robot Helps Shed Pounds

When I go to the gym, I’m always fascinated to watch just how much money people will spend to pay for a personal trainer, who basically just tells them to do their exercises. And I am also fascinated that people also pay companies like Weightwatchers and Jenny Craig just to be told to stop eating so much.  Soon, low-willpower exercisers and dieters will instead be able to spend their money on a weight loss coach named “autom” who will help its owner track diet and exercise.

Cory Kidd, Ph.D., an MIT researcher and the Founder/CEO of Intuitive Automata, Inc., has developed a robot that functions as an exercise and diet coach. It talks to you about how much you’re eating and exercising, asking the user to input data on a touch screen, and then offers encouragement and advice. Researchers found that users stayed on their weight loss program nearly twice as long as those who used traditional computer programs or handwritten logs. Now if you could just get one with legs that will go to the gym with you.

by Mark Fleming on March 06, 2008 in Health