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Slimmer robot no catwalk model
Source: Agencies |
March 17, 2009, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A NEW walking, talking robot from Japan has a female face that can smile and has trimmed down to 43 kilograms to make a debut at a fashion show. But it still hasn't even cleared safety standards to share the catwalk with human models.
Developers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology said their "cybernetic human," shown yesterday, wasn't ready to help with daily chores or work side by side with people.
"Technologically, it hasn't reached that level," said Hirohisa Hirukawa, one of the robot's developers. "Even as a fashion model, people in the industry told us she was short and had a rather ordinary figure."
Entertainment and drawing crowds are the main purpose for the 158 centimeter tall black-haired robot code-named HRP-4C, whose predecessor had weighed 58 kilograms.
HRP-4C was designed to look like an average Japanese woman, although its silver-and-black body makes it appear to be wearing a space-suit.
It will appear in a Tokyo fashion show, although without any clothes, in a special section just for the robot next week.
The robot has 30 motors in its body that allows it to walk and move its arms as well as eight motors on its face to create expressions like anger and surprise.
In a demonstration for reporters, the robot waddled out, blinking, a bit like an animation figure come to life, and said, "Hello, everyone," in a tiny feminine voice while its mouth moved.
Its workings weren't perfect. It kept looking surprised, opening its mouth and eyes in a stunned expression, when the demonstrator had asked it to smile or look angry.
Developers at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology said their "cybernetic human," shown yesterday, wasn't ready to help with daily chores or work side by side with people.
"Technologically, it hasn't reached that level," said Hirohisa Hirukawa, one of the robot's developers. "Even as a fashion model, people in the industry told us she was short and had a rather ordinary figure."
Entertainment and drawing crowds are the main purpose for the 158 centimeter tall black-haired robot code-named HRP-4C, whose predecessor had weighed 58 kilograms.
HRP-4C was designed to look like an average Japanese woman, although its silver-and-black body makes it appear to be wearing a space-suit.
It will appear in a Tokyo fashion show, although without any clothes, in a special section just for the robot next week.
The robot has 30 motors in its body that allows it to walk and move its arms as well as eight motors on its face to create expressions like anger and surprise.
In a demonstration for reporters, the robot waddled out, blinking, a bit like an animation figure come to life, and said, "Hello, everyone," in a tiny feminine voice while its mouth moved.
Its workings weren't perfect. It kept looking surprised, opening its mouth and eyes in a stunned expression, when the demonstrator had asked it to smile or look angry.
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