Video: The first (televised) kiss between robots

Theatrical bots "Thomas" and "Janet" -- who look complex enough to do non-theatrical work too -- have been smacking lips since a December 2008 production of Phantom of the Opera in Taiwan, but only now has video evidence of their deviant activities surfaced on the interwebs. Causing equal measures of dread, horror and subconscious freaky thoughts, it's a tour de force of science going down a very dark (and probably moist) path. Technically, it's a fine exhibition of complex multidimensional coordination and intrinsic self-balancing mechanisms, an excuse you're at liberty to use if someone catches you watching the videos after the break.

See more video at our hub!

[bonaqo Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:55PM]

Two girls and one CPU

[Sachin Posted Aug 25th 2009 12:19AM]

@jack - wouldn't that just be siamese twin robots?

[thehamsterman Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:37PM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjAoBKagWQA

[Zangetsu Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:59PM]

That's what I first thought of. Although technically their faces are CG, I think, so they aren't "robots" kissing.

[Eternal Density Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:48PM]

Uncanny Valley for the complete and utter Lose.

[newreformation Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:51PM]

haha you said "utter".

[Eternal Density Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:53PM]

'Utter' may be similar to 'udder' but it has nothing to do with mammaries, trust me.

[newreformation Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:21PM]

I freaking know that. I was mocking the readership. Points to you for being smart though.

[Eternal Density Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:25PM]

No problem. Mock away :D

[Jonthomasdesigns Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:51PM]

Oh My God .. that was sooo creepy

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:54PM]

after this, our overlords will learn to procreate and multiply... oh noez!!!

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:56PM]

The uncanny valley has just been filled with my vomit.

[cray Posted Aug 24th 2009 8:56PM]

Looks awkward, but so does every first generation prototype. Give it a decade and we'll see some really amazing intimacy with sexbots.

[jon Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:00PM]

Rule 34

[unzarjones Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:04PM]

Disney could have done a better looking animatronic kiss in the 60's.

[Poop Chef Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:10PM]

NSFW NSFW

[mynando Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:14PM]

Well, that was stupid.

[Smurf Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:30PM]

Without those rubber masks, that would have probably looked TERRIFYING.

[Xega Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:48PM]

same goes for humans

[Xega Posted Aug 24th 2009 9:36PM]

I don't see what's so groundbreaking about that. All that hardware just to move to faces together and touch lips...? Don't we already have stuff like at Chuck e Cheese's.

[yourestillaloser Posted Aug 24th 2009 10:15PM]

Bad News:

When they bump teeth; they explode.

[yourestillaloser Posted Aug 24th 2009 10:19PM]

Sadly, this was less robotic than my first kiss.

[Shakes fist] Abbie Donaldson! I don't care if it was 4th grade. You were a cold fish!

[mmoylan Posted Aug 24th 2009 10:23PM]

so when do we get robots that go past first base.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 24th 2009 10:33PM]

Kissing robots done right - 2 minutes in. Directed by Chris Cunningham.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=all+is+full+of+love&docid=1086893064197&mid=ABFE35AED249B97D3BD8ABFE35AED249B97D3BD8&FORM=VIVR7

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 24th 2009 10:52PM]

uhhhhhhhh.... come on guys. Bjork... All is full of love. . . Youtube.

robots got it on a LOOOONG time ago.

You geeks should know better. Tsk Tsk

[mdsf Posted Aug 24th 2009 11:30PM]

Hmmm.... The girlbot pulled away first. My wife says it means she's not ready for commitment. I wonder if they're going to have the same relationship problems?

[rturius Posted Aug 24th 2009 11:31PM]

My mind was blown away!

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 25th 2009 12:05AM]

2 robogirls 1 oil pan?

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 25th 2009 4:14AM]

Hey.
Reminds me of the new Avatar trailer.

Sorry had to do it.

Om

[b2tharizzo Posted Aug 26th 2009 7:11PM]

JAPAAAANNNNNN!!!! STOP MAKING CREEPY-ASS ROBOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cphu Posted Aug 29th 2009 12:56AM]

they are taiwanese robots! not japanese

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 25th 2009 5:26AM]

this makes me sick.. but seriously unless the 2 robots made a choice to kiss on their own, this was just a programed action, in my book this doesn't count. Maybe some kid covered 2 hand puppets in micro chips and made them kiss 20 years ago, so what.

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 25th 2009 6:02AM]

"I'm not robosexual!"

--- Bender

[vapore0n Posted Aug 25th 2009 8:02AM]

great, so now they will start making robot real dolls. Just what we need,hear lip from one of those dolls.

"No I'm too tired now, mi circuits need rest too you know"

[JeezWhiz87 Posted Aug 25th 2009 10:52AM]

Was it really necessary to build a pair of robots for the sole purpose of kissing on "Phantom of the Opera"? I'm fairly certain it would have been vastly less complicated, and likely cheaper to just use actors. Thank you Japan.

[cphu Posted Aug 29th 2009 12:59AM]

they are taiwanese robots! not japanese

[ohmygosh82 Posted Aug 25th 2009 1:05PM]

Ugly robots they look like cavern

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 25th 2009 3:15PM]

OMGosh that is SO cute!

ER
www.anonymity.se.tc

[hace Posted Aug 25th 2009 3:44PM]

Don't you see? This is two unthinking primitive machines that we've made into a crude image of ourselves and then forced to re-enact a gesture that's only meaningful to humans!
When the robots take over this clip will be shown in the propaganda broadcasts as evidence of man's cruelty and inability to ever understand their new overlords!

Somehow I always new that Engadget would play a part in the fall of mankind...

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 26th 2009 5:29AM]

I've seen robots kiss before, 2 girlbots while we're at it...

Anyway, this is the beatiful piece of video I'm talking about:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjAoBKagWQA

(Bjork - All is full of love [Directed by Chris Cunningham])