Hiroshi Ishiguro creates his creepiest robot yet, the Telenoid R1 (video)

Sure, creating freakish humanoid clones is Hiroshi Ishiguro's primary hobby, but his latest work takes a couple steps outside the Uncanny Valley. The Telenoid R1 telepresence robot trades extremities for an androgynous doll-like body, which researchers at Osaka University and ATR describe as "soft and pleasant" but strikes us as something we'd see crawling out of the depths of hell on stump-like arms. (Perhaps Ishiguro was going for Casper the Friendly Ghost.) The $35,000 prototype transmits both the voice and head motions of a remote operator, allowing dutiful Japanese individuals to visit their elders via internet-equipped PCs, and a final version will actually go on sale later this year for around $8,000 should said elders agree with the latest in puffy white design. Watch a sample visit after the break.

[motorpuppy Posted Aug 2nd 2010 7:57AM]

Boxing Casper

[proppat Posted Aug 2nd 2010 8:15AM]

Shake it, Dolphin boy!

[Noskid7 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 8:20AM]

AAAHH NUKE IT!!! NUKE IT NOW!!!!!

[iptydafu Posted Aug 2nd 2010 8:42AM]

I didn't realize they prescribed thalidomide to robotics engineers.

[TheTabe Posted Aug 2nd 2010 8:54AM]

Sperm robot?!

W

T

F

[jedifox Posted Aug 2nd 2010 8:57AM]

I for one, welcome our new robot overlords.

[rgarjr Posted Aug 2nd 2010 2:37PM]

@jedifox you've been watching too many Terminator movies.

[Digital1 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 9:16AM]

Kill it with fire!

[pirana Posted Aug 2nd 2010 9:44AM]

Thats just wrong, very very wrong!

[sixtool Posted Aug 2nd 2010 9:45AM]

why do they make these creepy things again and again ?

it's really gross.. i mean really..

[magallanes Posted Aug 2nd 2010 9:54AM]

boo hiss on this one.

[DoomLight Posted Aug 2nd 2010 9:58AM]

anime weirdness coming to life! where are the tenticles?

[nailz420 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 10:09AM]

It wouldnt be so creepy if it came with a nice rack

[squaremon Posted Aug 2nd 2010 10:46AM]

SAW VIII!!

[VanNorden Posted Aug 2nd 2010 10:57AM]

Imagine finding that thing in your room in the dark

[MizuNoHane Posted Aug 2nd 2010 11:15AM]

Does it not weird anybody else out that in the pic the guy is holding this thing between his legs?

[dingus Posted Aug 2nd 2010 11:57AM]

Avoid the Telenoid.

[Spatev Posted Aug 2nd 2010 12:33PM]

whats up with the old guy jumping around and stuff?

[usa1 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 12:50PM]

They must go out of their wait to make the robots weird looking in Japan. There's no other explanation.

[njbianco96 Posted Aug 2nd 2010 12:57PM]

Im going to have nightmares tonight thanks a lot Hiroshi Ishiguro

[just4chan2day Posted Aug 2nd 2010 1:50PM]

Oh god, who's letting Tsutomu Nihei design robots?

[Massive Poop Posted Aug 2nd 2010 3:11PM]

Is that robot giving him a lap dance?

[Samurai Jack Posted Aug 2nd 2010 4:00PM]

Super ghost kamikaze attack!

[uncensy Posted Aug 2nd 2010 9:45PM]

I wanna dip my balls in it! The robots face that is... assuming they make a Jessica Alba version.

[yrag Posted Aug 2nd 2010 10:24PM]

What is Ishiguro thinking? I know the Japanese have a much more positive view of robots than Westerners, BUT COME ON!

THAT IS SOOOO— disturbing AND disturbed.

It looks like a particularly peculiar Japanese remake of 'Splice'.

GAWD!

[yrag Posted Aug 2nd 2010 10:28PM]

Maybe this is the Japanese mutant version of Sartre's 'No Exit'.

[TCrimson05 Posted Aug 4th 2010 12:14PM]

That's the sickest thing Ive eve seen.....ugh.....looks lie something off of silent hill....like imagine it falling and then lie slowly sliding around your house chasing you