KiroboMini
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ICYMI: The selfie-obsessed can verify online ID with photos
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Mastercard is introducing a way to verify online purchases, by sending a link to the user's cell phone, which then walks them through taking a selfie and blinking on command to show they're a real human. Meanwhile Google unleashed a slew of new products at its Developer's Conference in San Francisco, here's the full scoop on the new phone. Toyota's cute little robot is available only in Japan but sure is darling, the video is here. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Toyota's companion robot goes on sale at the end of the year
Toyota has announced that it'll sell people its adorable Kirobo Mini "communication partner robot" from the end of this year. Would-be owners can snag one from a series of low-volume pre-sales at Toyota dealerships in Tokyo as well as Aichi Prefecture. Otherwise, they'll have to wait until 2017 for the weeny 'bots, which are designed to sit in your car's cup holders, to reach store shelves across the country. If you're wondering where you've seen this tech before, don't worry, Toyota sent one into space to hang around the ISS a while ago.
Toyota's tiny robot companion fits in your car's cup holder
It's another animated friend to add to your collection of 'bots that might not ever appear in the US -- although it might make it into space.Toyota's Kirobo mini is tiny. In fact, it's small enough as to 'install' into your auto's cup holster -- if you're willing to part with your commuter latte. The robot forms part of Toyota's AI and human interaction research that it and several Japanese universities are working together on. Like its smartphone relative, the Mini gesticulates, can respond to voice requests and apparently even detect a drivers' emotions. (There's a camera built into the little guy. He's not psychic. Yet).
