Technology Stuff

With Japan’s rapidly ageing population, it’s perhaps not surprising that robotic research is such a high priority for many Japanese companies. Yet whilst some creations can now ride a bike, serve beverages and even, ahem, bring people pleasure, they are hardly beneficial to society as a whole.

That said, the recent introduction of the CB2 baby robot may admittedly go some way towards the lack of youngsters in Japan, but its far from cuddly character could well remain a stumbling block. Mitsubishi’s Wakamaru on the other hand is arguably a sign of the future, with the Tokyo-based company now offering the little fella out on lease as a receptionist.

With the ability to recognise 10,000 words, respond with basic sentences and move around without bumping into things, Wakamaru may indeed make the perfect receptionist; however whilst guaranteed to be at work on time and never call in sick, at 120,000 yen (970 dollar) a day, the robot’s reliability comes at quite a cost. A price that admittedly does drop if the rental period is longer, coming in at a more cost effective 20,000 yen per day for those willing to sign up for 3 weeks or more.

And as a bonus he also seems good with kids, although the expression on the face of the young girl at the front does make one wonder where Wakamaru’s left hand is, and perhaps more importantly, what he’s doing with it.

Whether it is something to do with the weather or some bizarre robot-related rule isn’t clear, but June in Japan would appear to be the month for revealing freakish yet fascinating robots. As only days after the Japan Science and Technology Agency unveiled its utterly unsettling child-like CB2, Meiji University’s Robot and Science Institute has come out with Kansei (meaning sensibility), a deranged looking device that can depict feelings.

Capable of making up to 36 kinds of facial expressions, the robot can react to a word typed into its software; a database of over 500,000 words allowing it to calculate the required response — all the way from pleasantness,

to, erm, unpleasantness.

An undoubted advancement that unfortunately has been somewhat overshadowed by Kansei’s alarming likeness to the well known animated character Wallace. As despite being shrugged off by its creators as nothing but a mere coincidence, the robot’s rapturous response to the word ‘cheese’ has only made matters worse.

With Japan’s birth rate still worryingly low, the powers that be may not thank the Japan Science and Technology Agency for the unveiling its new humanoid robot last week.

An event that saw the organisation proudly showing off a 33-kilogramme effigy that can make facial expressions, react to its surroundings by blinking and stand up with assistance. Giving it a set of skills and abilities that its maker claims allows CB2 (Child-Robot with Biometric Body) to emulate the physical abilities of a 1- or 2-year-old toddler.

The only problem being that unlike the real thing, CB2 is neither comical nor cute — far from it in fact.

The not so little fella’s freakishly real — and at the same time not real — features quite possibly putting people off having kids forever.

Although that said, his (or indeed her) loving look up at its ‘father’ is possibly enough to melt even the coldest of hearts.

Perhaps.

Update: Very unsettling video reports.