Technology Stuff

As Japan’s birthrate continues to fall, and its elderly get ever older, toy manufacturers have been quick to latch on to the new mature market. Last year’s Ifbot is a prime example, but despite its maker claiming the robot has the conversational ability of a 5-year-old, a price tag of 576,000 yen (2,880 pound) is enough to stretch even the most prosperous of pensioners.

Thankfully for the less affluent aged, Tomy has stepped in with its new Yumel doll. And at a cost of only 8,500 yen (42 pound), it means that potential buyers still have plenty of money left to stuff in tin boxes or squander at the local bingo hall.

Tomy’s new toy is being billed as a ‘healing’ doll, and whereas similar products are aimed at daytime use, Yumel is being touted as a nighttime companion. Project leader Osamu Kiriseko claims that, “You need to enjoy the night together if you really hope to live with a doll.”

With this in mind, the name Yumel comes from the word ‘yume’ (dream), and it’s designed to look like a sleepy baby boy – albeit one with big and black manga-esque eyes. And to further enhance the sleepiness factor, the toy is equipped with six sensors and an IC chip, allowing the doll to accurately keep track of its owners sleeping patterns. Thus Yumel starts the day with a breezy “Good morning,” and ends it with drooping eyelids and a drowsy “Good night” after a quick pat on the chest makes it ‘fall asleep’.

This programmable sleeping schedule allows Yumel to detect how regular its owner’s sleep pattern is, and if it judges that things aren’t quite how they should be, the doll will pipe up with, “Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?” But rather more sinister is Kiriseko’s claim that, “If you lead an orderly life, Yumel will be in a good mood, singing songs or pleading with you to do something like buying him toys.”

Like more Tomy products perchance?

Being a Vodafone subscriber, I can only gaze enviously at the cool and compact models offered by the likes of DoCoMo and AU. And a quick look at the fairly recent Talby will give you a pretty good idea of what I’m talking about.

But the arrival of DoCoMo’s Premini II has increased the jealousy factor even further, leaving me cell phone salivating. Due to its (relatively) small size, it may lack a few functions compared to its bigger and bulkier cousins, but in the design department it’s second to none.

And look, it even has fancy blue lights.

Resistance may be futile.

Whilst a quick stroll or a relaxing bike ride is my decidedly low-tech approach to keeping fit, it appears that some people prefer to include a bit of electronic engineering with their exercising.

The Joba produced by Matsushita Electrical Works does just this. The indoor horseback-riding machine moves about (like a horse presumably) and allows users to strengthen their dorsal and abdominal muscles.

But despite the benefits, the Matsushita employee below skillfully shows that it’s not the most flattering of devices to use in public.