EMIEW bot now able to mingle without maiming

Ok folks, the future is officially upon us: Japan has just built a robot with a frickin' laser embedded in its head. Yes, we were thinking Cylons too, but it turns out that their intentions are not quite as devious. The new Excellent Mobility and Interactive Existance as Workmate bot (EMIEW) -- who last had a gig as a hotel clerk -- has now been equipped with a sensory laser, giving it the ability to navigate a crowd without bumping into people. Hitachi will demo the new-and-improved EMIEW at the 2006 World Automotive Congress beginning October 23 in Yokohama, Japan -- we just hope that its laser is also able to identify shorter folks, because injured toddlers are really bad PR.

[Via The Raw Feed]

[pbase @ Sep 13th 2006 12:30AM]

I, for one, welcome our new hand extending, humanoid sensing, robot overlords.

[Blacknimbus @ Sep 13th 2006 1:07AM]

Hrm....is that the new iRobot?

[Alex @ Sep 13th 2006 1:14AM]

Oh, nice. I'd always wanted a robot, but was turned off by their inability to mingle, and concerned about the prospects of maiming. I think I may try to snag one now.

[Kris @ Sep 13th 2006 1:17AM]

Yes I want one of those. Can it mow the lawn? feed the dog, and take the trash out?

[Tony Rayo @ Sep 13th 2006 2:33AM]

This is a waste of time, where are the sexroids we've been promised for years via anime/sci-fi movies/and non-tenticle-related hentai (which happens to only count for 0.005% of all hentai =p).

Still I'd like to see it in person but since that isn't happening any time soon, I hope some videos hit the net (some events have press blackouts of certain products, but since this is a "show-offy demo" I think we'll see at least some coverage... don't forget to report on that too Engadget Japanese-peeps).

- Tony R.

[blizz @ Sep 13th 2006 3:26AM]

how hard would it be to put a sensor on the bottom as well as the top to get a full scan for short things?

[Kevlar @ Sep 13th 2006 3:29AM]

Reminds me of the Futurama robot 1-X... alot, for some reason. Does it have the calm, obediant voice too?

[Adam Filipowicz @ Sep 13th 2006 10:08AM]

Whats with the white
Ive noticed that most kind of robotic things are white
whats with that?

[Mr. Mike @ Sep 13th 2006 10:19AM]

They should have removed the "mingle" feature and kept the "maiming". More interesting at dull parties.

[Mr. Mike @ Sep 13th 2006 10:23AM]

"This is a waste of time, where are the sexroids we've been promised for years ..."

Well, you could probably get it on with this one but I seem to remember some general advice about not sticking a fork in a toaster, or something like that...

[Drei @ Sep 13th 2006 10:46AM]

How many robots are there in the above picture- one or two? To me, looks like there are two... so which one is the new 'bot?

@Adam Filipowicz: Because we've conquered racism amongst humans. We need a new challenge :)

[Perrey Z. @ Sep 13th 2006 10:29PM]

Oh Wow! how wonderful this is, another robot with manners from the "wonderful" minds at Hitachi. {sarcasm}

I see how the Japanese will do anything to call for the attention of the world in their traditional poorly orchestrated efforts. They always want to be first in the leading position of the most profitable industries whether that be in the automobiles, electronics and now the robotics industry. They have lost the war in the Plasmas an LCDs field to lower cost manufacturers from Taiwan, South Korea and China what's next to do to remain number 1?

They'll turn their efforts to Artificial Intelligence, if they succeed {as a country, not as individual companies} they can still be in the top of a new revolutionary industry/market without any future competition that might ruin their plans of selling overpriced goods with limited features outside Japan. That's their way of living. Clever, but not too clever for me to notice.