I have no idea why he thinks writing wouldn't be a primary purpose for one of these machines, that's exactly what I've been considering one for.

It's the modern version of those Sumerian statues with the creepy eyes that stood in temple constantly at prayer so the person it represented didn't have to be.

I didn't realize this was news, it's been a well known practice for years. When I studied human osteology in college 13 years ago we didn't do a practical testing for racial characteristics on the class skeletons because it was well known that they had all come from India and that would skew our results because we knew what characteristics to look for.