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  • Murata's cheerleader robots move around on balls and do it in J-Pop unison

    by 
    Mat Smith
    Mat Smith
    09.24.2014

    It's probably the most Japanese thing I've seen in my first year of covering the country for Engadget: Robo-cheerleaders, barreling around in sync like some sort of Japanese girl "idol" group. In total, there are 10 Cheerleader bots (with two standby units), with light-up cheeks, pom-pom arms that look like PlayStation peripherals and glowing eyes. They glow; they lift their arms; they form ensemble shapes; and they are arguably the most adorable, Weeble-esque robots you've ever laid eyes on. Following the bicycling Murata Boy and the unicycling Murata Girl, here's the Murata Cheerleader and her nine sisters. They're about to dance in formation, all while balancing on a ball. Not only because they simply can, but also because this is how their parent company showcases its (often mind-numbing, let's admit it) sensors and components to both businesses and Joe Public alike.