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mod post, plot, robobabies

Baby Parameters!


Stark Artificial Infant - User Manual

Congratulations on your bundle of joy and silicon! Your Stark Artificial Infant has been designed to simulate the behavior of a two month old child and will need similar love and care to a real infant. Each need is fulfilled by a given action on the part of the caretaker or caretakers [see section 3 for dual parent controls]. Real babies do not, of course, come with an instruction manual, but ours do! This is one of the many advantages to a Stark Artificial Infant.

Section 1 - Basic Needs
Your Stark Artificial Infant will often cry or fuss when it needs something. Please pay attention to these cues as they will change over time as your Infant learns your routine. Crying or fussing will not always correspond to a specific need but may simply be for attention. Providing attention is detailed in section 2.

• Feeding - Your Stark Artificial Infant will need to be fed several times a day. Stark Artificial Infants should not be fed actual food as this could damage the hardware inside. Please use the bottle provided and heat it under warm water until it turns white. Placing the nipple of the bottle in your Stark Artificial Infant’s mouth will activate the feeding routine. The Infant will “drink” for a random amount of time and then need to be burped, possibly resulting in the oral discharge of a simulated spit-up. Do not slap your Infant on the back. This, along with failure to feed in a timely manner will cause more crying and register on the Infant’s memory.


• Diapers - Your Stark Artificial Infant will need its diaper changed on a regular basis. The Infant will often fuss when its diaper needs to be changed but is also equipped with a scent cue for some changes and water release for others. Please use the provided diapers and make certain to fasten them according to the diagram on the following page. Each diaper is encoded and can be reused 24 hours after its last use, approximating time for cleaning and drying though the diapers will not need to actually be cleaned, just allowed to dry if wet. Remember, reusable diapers are better for our environment! Not changing your Infant’s diaper will cause crying, diaper rash which will need medical attention and register on the Infant’s memory.


• Sleeping - Your Stark Artificial Infant will need to be allowed time to sleep in its bassinet for a number of hours per day. This requirement, however, may also be met by using the provided sling. Please see section 2 for more information on using the sling. Please be aware that your Infant will wake at random hours and need a basic need or attention need met before going back to sleep. Keeping your Infant ‘active’ for too long will result in crying and register on the Infant’s memory.

Section 2 - Providing Attention and Bonding
Your Stark Artificial Infant is programmed to bond with and respond to its caregiver or caregivers. Voice and scent recognition allow the Infant to bond with a specific person or pair of persons. While attention and bonding are not required in order for your Infant to survive, they will provide many benefits to both your Infant and your interaction with it.

• Infant Benefits: Your Stark Artificial Infant is programmed to develop a certain amount in the time you have it. This development will be seen in its movements, vocalizations and responses and be trackable in its stored memory. High amounts of interaction with your Infant will produce better developmental ratings.


• Interaction Benefits: While your Stark Artificial Infant will continue to cry and fuss to make its needs known, high amounts of interaction will result in the Infant’s crying and fussing to be tailored responses to specific needs. High amounts of interaction will also shorten the time required for your infant to ‘fall asleep’ and to respond to interaction when crying.


• Providing Interaction: Your Stark Artificial Infant comes with a variety of toys and accessories. Carrying your Infant in the sling provided will give your Infant plenty of bonding and interaction time as well as time to sleep as needed while you are busy during the day. Please see the diagram for the proper way to wear the sling. Other types of interaction are talking, singing and playing. Toys are not necessary, but can provide stimulation which will result in higher developmental ratings. The amount of time your spend interacting with your Infant is up to you, but ignoring your Infant entirely will result in crying and register on the Infant’s memory.

Section 3 - Dual Parent Mode
Stark Artificial Infants can be set for single or dual caregivers. In single caregiver mode the Infant will only look to a single person for bonding and its controls will be recording a single caregiver’s actions. In dual mode the Infant will look to two people for bonding and record two caregivers’ actions. Stark Artificial Infants will be set to the correct mode when picked up by their caregiver or caregivers.

• Basic Needs: In dual mode the Infant will respond to either caregiver for basic needs, however, the Infant can recognize which caregiver is providing for that need and will respond accordingly. If one caregiver has bonded more then that caregiver may have an easier time with some responses. All interaction with the Infant is recorded, so leaving the care to one person will be noted.


• Required Dual Activity: At least once per day the Infant will require both caregivers to be present at the same time and interacting with it together. Some activities may be scheduled but the Infant can be given attention by both caregivers at any time you wish.

Section 4 - Failure to Care for Your Infant
It is a sad truth that some children are neglected. Stark Artificial Infants are not truly alive and therefore cannot truly die, but they are programmed to recognize insufficient care or outright abuse. Striking, shaking or other violence towards your Infant will result in crying, screaming and, in an academic setting, an alert to the responsible party administering the Stark Artificial Infant program. Failure to feed your Infant for a prolonged time will result in the same. Failure to change your Infant for a prolonged time will result in illness as indicated by a prominent rash as well as crying and an alert. Failure to allow your Infant to sleep will result in crying and an alert.

Section 5 - Enjoy Your Stark Artificial Infant!
Parenthood can be a wonderful experience but it is also difficult and time consuming. The Stark Artificial Infant has been created with the intention of providing both the ups and downs of the experience over a short period of time. Each Infant is an individual which will develop specific behaviors and responses based on the unique care you give to it, many of them positive. It is our hope that this experience will help you in the future, both in decisions about procreation and in raising any children you might have. Thank you for choosing Stark Artificial Infants!