Is this robotic therapy pet the uncanny valley of dog?

There’s no shortage of social robots that promise to provide companionship, and the Tombot Puppy is the latest therapy robot to offer the kind of unconditional love that only a dog can give, provided the batteries stay charged forever. The golden Labrador retriever barks, wags, and responds to touch, providing emotional support to seniors, people with dementia, and anyone who can’t have a live pet. It’s funding now on Kickstarter and has already reached its $20,000 goal.
Tombot’s creators wanted the robot to look and behave as close to a real dog as possible, so they enlisted the help of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop for the design. As a result, Tombot moves a lot like an animatronic puppet, it sort of reminds me of Falkor from The Neverending Story, which I’m not sure is good or bad and its lifelike expressions are a little bit unnerving.

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Comfort Systems USA Announces Acquisition

Business Wire | February 01, 2024

Comfort Systems USA, Inc. today announced that it has closed its previously announced transaction to acquire Summit Industrial Construction, LLC (“Summit”) headquartered in Houston, Texas. As previously disclosed, Summit is a specialty industrial mechanical contractor offering engineering, design-assist and turnkey, direct hire construction services of modular systems serving the advanced technology, power, and industrial sectors. Summit’s capabilities encompass a wide range of modular and site-based construction, including process piping, equipment setting, large pipe rack trestles, and related steel erection and specialty concrete work. Summit is a trusted supplier to some of the world’s largest advanced technology, power and industrial companies and is currently deployed on several major chip fabrication projects. Initially, Summit is expected to contribute annualized revenues of approximately $375 million to $400 million, and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization of $35 million to $40 million. In light of the amortization expense, Summit is expected to make a neutral to slightly accretive contribution to earnings per share in 2024 and 2025. Brian Lane, Comfort Systems USA’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are delighted to announce the closing of our agreement to acquire Summit, an extremely capable provider of modular and other complex mechanical services. Summit brings a stellar reputation as a modular technology leader in growing end markets, including multiple ongoing and large semiconductor projects. We are happy to welcome Summit’s wonderful leadership team and excellent production and craft workers across many states, and we are confident Summit will continue to innovate and grow as a part of our network of world-class contracting companies. We are grateful that Summit has chosen to become part of Comfort Systems USA.”

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