Meet ApriPoko, Toshiba's channel surfing helper-bot

Finally, a robot that "gets" us. Researchers at Toshiba in Japan have created a talking bot that can be used as a voice-activated universal remote in addition to formulating plots about terminating humans. The 5-pound, 11-inch-tall android is called ApriPoko, and is capable of learning how to control electronics by watching you and asking questions about your behavior. When you use an infrared device, the robot senses the signal and asks the user "What did you just do?" If you say something akin to "I turned on the TV," it will commit the command to memory, and you can operate those functions by voice. Apparently, the little guy is still in the R&D stages, but there are plans to turn this technology into a consumer device -- one which the company swears will not kill you in your sleep.

[Via Pink Tentacle]

[Ferny @ Mar 26th 2008 1:39AM]

does this remind anyone of the rolly?

[Tim @ Mar 26th 2008 2:19AM]

Or the little turtles from Finding Nemo, or the new robot from Wall-E?

[Scott W @ Mar 26th 2008 8:43AM]

Actually, it looks more like a penguin's vibrator.

[Timmy @ Mar 26th 2008 9:40AM]

Mr Turtle, Tv On
Mr Turtle, History Channel
Mr Turtle, Dimm lights

[Carl M @ Mar 26th 2008 2:05PM]

Reminds me a bit of the turtle from Over the Hedge.

[Blackstar @ Mar 27th 2008 1:37PM]

Anyone else worried it's going to be very confused and asking a lot of questions when you are having sex with your spouse/significant other?

[bla beef @ Mar 29th 2008 2:32AM]

Actually it reminds me of those little haro robots from gundam seed.

[John @ Mar 26th 2008 1:40AM]

I'd pre-order one immediately.

[shawnmos @ Mar 26th 2008 1:40AM]

well at least it's cute.

[pgpprotector @ Mar 26th 2008 3:00PM]

Sounds Cool

[sirnoobius @ Mar 26th 2008 1:45AM]

looks like a pokemon

[Rayan @ Mar 26th 2008 1:51AM]

yeeeeeeeeeh, i want one.

[Eh @ Mar 26th 2008 1:56AM]

Toshiba may have lost the battle with bluray, but with this thing they have clearly won the war.

[Mike D @ Mar 26th 2008 2:57AM]

its an infultration play, they are going to have this thing watch what sony does in the living room and report back to them

[Ryan Trevisol @ Mar 26th 2008 8:02AM]

I'd be afraid to tell it "I just turned on my Blu-Ray player".

[senyl @ Mar 26th 2008 12:45PM]

It's programmed to attack with the words "Blu-Ray"

[Kazriko @ Mar 26th 2008 5:41PM]

To use it with my Bluray player, it'd also need to learn how to listen to Bluetooth signals...

I can just imagine it if they did add that.

What did you just do? I killed a chimera hybrid!
What did you just do? Damn stalker killed me!
It'd get tiresome after a few hours of any PS3 game...

[Bluejay & Cardinal @ Mar 26th 2008 2:03AM]

OK well about egadgerts love for macs well what can i say i have vista ultimate on a q6600 w/ 4 gig ram and a BETTER THAN U THINK radeon hd 2600 pro and the only time i have to close my fire fox is because i have 10 pages spread out on both my sp2208wfp monitors w/ of course some kind of flash file on all pages btw it's beta 3 somthin 4

[Aashish Jain @ Mar 26th 2008 2:06AM]

Wtf are you on about dude?

[Joe Anstine @ Mar 26th 2008 2:09AM]

I have a 9.0 MP Fujifilm camera that takes awesome pictures and the only downfall is that it has a short battery life.

Oh, I'm sorry. It seems I'm a bit off topic. BTW Vista BLOWS. Probably why you own it, since you can't seem to read.

[asphixiated @ Mar 26th 2008 2:13AM]

tell us more about your non-existent system!

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 26th 2008 6:23AM]

Just to let you know how idiotic you sound, I have 50 pages open in firefox, with no slowdown, with about 20 of them flash based web pages.

And i'm on a laptop with a centrino processor, one of the little 11 inch vaios.

Go away. Keep it relevant.

[Mikey @ Mar 26th 2008 6:27AM]

BLAH BLAH BLAH

[Bluejay & Cardinal @ Mar 26th 2008 11:33AM]

wow idk why ur all so mad at me just becuase i use vista and i'm using the beta 3 somthin 4 fire fox BETA U KNOW FOR TESTING i really didn't expect such complements ') from other on engadget. and yes i can read but can you see the HUGE APPLE ad PC and mac guy it really is funny that people w/ macs just seem to be just a little... self righteous no pun for those who aren't

[Mike10010100 @ Mar 26th 2008 9:03PM]

The point however, is that you should wait until a post about vista, not just some random post about a robot that has nothing to do with vista.

But you seem to have the attention span of a 3 year old.

[spaceb @ Mar 26th 2008 2:06AM]

"What's that smell?"
"I just farted"
And will light a match.

[Joe Anstine @ Mar 26th 2008 2:10AM]

oh, and btw, this thing freaking rules. I can has?

[Ken @ Mar 26th 2008 2:14AM]

Awwww, its kinda cute!

[Rodrigo @ Mar 26th 2008 2:20AM]

That's an awesome looking little minion!! I want one NOW!

[LPD @ Mar 27th 2008 1:19PM]

comment

[nih @ Mar 26th 2008 2:47AM]

I don't get the ongoing development of devices that are either infra-red, broadcast TV or in any way not completely internet oriented. The medium is beginning what will become a very steep dive into obscurity.

Now a robot that could queue up and play the latest torrents of your favourite shows by voice command, fine. Automate something useful for god's sakes.

[farfisa @ Mar 26th 2008 2:27AM]

"Turn on Blu-ray player."
"I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that. But upscaled DVD's look pretty darn good."
"Well at least stop calling me Dave."
"Okay."

[Dan Davis @ Mar 26th 2008 8:49AM]

Open the pod bay door, ApriPoko...

[neost @ Mar 26th 2008 2:28AM]

yep, definitely would like something voice activated to control my HTS, but without having to take out a second mortgage.

[Jon @ Mar 26th 2008 2:43AM]

They're taking over our tvs? oh...

[Mike P. @ Mar 26th 2008 3:38AM]

Taking over our own masters? I wonder what the new leadership will bring...

[Mike D @ Mar 26th 2008 2:43AM]

that is awesome I would love to be able to walk into the living room and say "apripoko turn on the tv" .. ok maybe a cooler name.. like sparticus "sparticus turn on the tv" yeah thats good

[Ronald @ Mar 26th 2008 3:37AM]

OMG get me one of these in spanish so my parents can finally stop asking everyday how to work their new HD tv, dvd, and surround sound... something like this would be a life saver

[higeki @ Mar 26th 2008 3:44AM]

ASIMO has a new friend..eerrr...pet.

[sip @ Mar 26th 2008 5:20AM]

universal remonster!?

[Dan Davis @ Mar 26th 2008 8:52AM]

And it can only be killed by stabbing it in the heart with the Ancient Bone Saber of Zumacalis...

or anything semi-sharp will probably work, too.

[3rdsun @ Mar 26th 2008 5:26AM]

This is no different from my girlfriend except it remembers what i just did.

[Carl M @ Mar 26th 2008 2:04PM]

Your girlfriend can remember all the annoying things you did, and she'll bring them up later when you annoy her again.

[xenon87 @ Mar 26th 2008 2:58PM]

How do you know so much about his girlfriend? :P

[nDee @ Mar 26th 2008 5:46AM]

Coming soon :
Harmony 9000 with voice command

Sounds like the same.

[erin @ Mar 26th 2008 9:57AM]

minus the adorableness

[Pradster @ Mar 26th 2008 5:52AM]

Three cheers for Obesity!
Now you dont even have to move your hands to change the friggin channels.

[Zmitten @ Mar 26th 2008 6:37AM]

Apripoko:
Darth Vader to Blu Ray Drives
:)

[Gonzalo Garcia @ Mar 26th 2008 6:51AM]

yeah!! I'd be amazing to use it with front row!! and my roommate would be totally jealous and fustrated cos his acer lappie came with a useless IR port.

[ShiroEd @ Mar 26th 2008 9:44AM]

Soooo cute!