14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung Electronics is now working with a local research team to develop cell phone software that will be able to feel, think, evolve and reproduce. The team, led by Prof. Kim Jong-hwan at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, is trying to create a software outfitted with ?artificial chromosomes". ?This software can feel, think and interact with phone owners. It will breathe power into cell phones, bringing the gadgets to life,'' said Prof. Kim Jong-hwan, team leader. ?We have almost completed the first-stage task with Samsung to install the software in cell phones and plan to start the second job soon". A three-dimensional avatar will live inside the cell phone and adjust itself to the characteristics of the cell phone carrier.
?It's just like a sophisticated creature living inside a cell phone. An owner will be allowed to set its initial personality by defining the underlying DNA. However, it is up to the avatar how its personality develops with the owner. Its personality can get better or worse depending on how people treat it," said Kim. Users will be able to deal with loneliness felt by the avatar, which will pop up on the phone when they feel alone, by touching a button. Should the owner refuse to respond to the signal, the avatars will change their personalities either to express such feelings more often or just to become depressed, according to Lee.
As a bonus, this year the team is set to start enabling the cell phone-embedded artificial creature to mate with another to have offspring.