Video: Toyota's domestic partner robots get down like Nero

If you're still wondering what Toyota's newly announced pair of partner robots are all about then you're in luck, we've got video. Akihabara News has the 30fps low-down in Japan on the practical use transportation and decidedly impractical violin playing robots said to be invading homes by 2010. Though we'd prefer rescue skills in our domestic robot, Toyota's will at least stand over your remains, somberly fiddling a lullaby while Rome burns. Guess that's something. Video after the break.

[Johnathon Zirkle @ Dec 7th 2007 1:20AM]

thats actually pretty wicked

now we just have to wait for the stupid pr0n jokes...

[rusty shackleford @ Dec 8th 2007 1:04PM]

sarah connor was right...

[John @ Dec 7th 2007 1:28AM]

Stupid jokes you say? As you wish...

I, for one, welcome our Nero-like robotic overlords.

[jtc970 @ Dec 7th 2007 1:31AM]

Wow!
Now my overlord robot nightmares will have a soundtrack.

[Ayle @ Dec 7th 2007 1:39AM]

I prefer the look of qrio...

[Dillon Dixon @ Dec 7th 2007 1:40AM]

Man, that robot chair thing is like an even lazier version of a segway.

[671GD @ Dec 7th 2007 1:51AM]

Hey! Now, whenever you're boss erupts in a rage, you can send one of these guys in to calm em' down (No, not by doing THAT) without risking getting impaled with a spear! Awesome!

[671GD @ Dec 20th 2007 8:22PM]

Sorry, typo, I meant "your."

Continue on.

[Troy @ Dec 7th 2007 2:08AM]

Wow, finally a robot to do all those pesky home chores and free women up to keep pretending their men... The world of tomorrow today! (Hope my gal doesn't read this.)

[Chris @ Dec 7th 2007 9:34AM]

did you mean "they're" instead of "their" or were you implying the women are pretending that their men are something?

[Michael LaFramboise @ Dec 7th 2007 2:41AM]

Wow, that bot plays on the violin better then me; and I took 2 freakin years of it in middle school! :p

[musician @ Dec 7th 2007 2:25PM]

No no no the robot isn't playing the violin. It's a fake - you can hear vibrato in the sound but it clearly isn't doing it - bit too advanced for those Japanese yet.

fake fake fake

[Jason @ Dec 7th 2007 2:37PM]

I don't think it's fake. A human hand requires some pretty wide movement for vibrato on a violin, but a robot could have the individual motors in each finger to accomplish this. Think of just doing vibrato on an electric guitar... it doesn't require too much hand movement.

[Ig @ Dec 7th 2007 2:58AM]

Toyota might want to work on making their bots look a little less like eyeless, soulless space nuns.

[cromas @ Dec 7th 2007 3:48AM]

...looks like the freak lovechild of Nero and a storm trooper.

[Joe P @ Dec 7th 2007 10:21AM]

Robot went down to Georgia, it was lookin for a soul to steal...

[Alex @ Dec 7th 2007 1:42PM]

"The Fairness in Hell Act of 2275 requires me to inform you that if you can best me in a fiddle contest, you win back Bender's soul. As well as a golden fiddle."

[T045T @ Dec 7th 2007 11:47AM]

Is it just me, or is it REALLY weird seeing Japanese cruise around in self-balancing armchairs with Jingle Bells playing in the background?

[Stupidiot @ Dec 7th 2007 1:59PM]

The robot in the foreground looks as if it's sticking a couple of fingers up at the one playing the violin. I guess that suggests something about robot's ability to play music.

[Wwhat @ Dec 7th 2007 3:08PM]

The music at the start of the video triggered a 'welcome to zombo.com' voice in my mind.

[Huy @ Dec 7th 2007 5:58PM]

Anyone here think Asimo looks better?

[tekdemon @ Dec 7th 2007 10:44PM]

*sigh* that robot plays the violin better than me.

[Nathan @ Dec 9th 2007 6:49PM]

That's fine but can they play Doom?