In Japan, nerds control girls with joysticks

For some of you, like this guy (look at his face!), this is a dream come true, no questions asked. The rest will be wondering what the hell is going on here. See, that bicycle helmet affixed with what looks like a robotic crab is a not so subtle, ear tugging navigational device that could ultimately benefit the sight-impaired or anyone, really -- it pulls on the left ear to direct the wearer to the left, on the right to go right. Simple. Granted, it looks ridiculous now, but imagine it miniaturized under a tin-foil helmet and communicating with a hands- and eyes-free GPS navigational system. You've just seen the future, how does it feel?

In Japan, nerds control girls with joysticks

[KAL326 Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:16AM]

Sure its not a robot? Looks like that guy from Get Smart, keep the chick robot away from staplers.

[monkey with glasses Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:29AM]

I sent this to you like a month ago. Via Daily planet, when they were airing it.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 9:42AM]

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, B, A, START!


*lights cigarette*

Was that not good?

[deciBels Posted Oct 23rd 2009 10:37AM]

Better than in Soviet Russia where...

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 10:41AM]

Using that controller to pull down on both of her ears seems as though it would be a lot easier than using my own hands to push down on the back of her head.

Just sayin'

[yuriha Posted Oct 23rd 2009 12:52PM]

He looks like Hideo Kojima, now we know why it takes him soooo long to launch MG games

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 23rd 2009 4:51PM]

The guy's name is Yuichiro Kojima, a phd candidate in the department of Human Communication of the University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo.

This helmet is called "Pull-Navi", brief introduction can be found at http://kaji-lab.jp/en/index.php?research#miminavi

I worked with the team for an afternoon at the SIGGRAPH convention this August and had a lot of fun controlling other people.

[Ghen Posted Oct 23rd 2009 4:57PM]

So basically this is just Steampunk Cybermen?

[Eternal Density Posted Oct 23rd 2009 8:52PM]

Boy, you want me to make a donation... to the coastguard youth auxiliary?

(1 free internets to whoever gets the reference)