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Baby robot Affetto gets a torso, still gives us the creeps (video)
It's taken a year to get the sinister ticks and motions of Osaka University's Affetto baby head out of our nightmares -- and now it's grown a torso. Walking that still-precarious line between robots and humans, the animated robot baby now has a pair of arms to call its own. The prototype upper body has a babyish looseness to it -- accidentally hitting itself in the face during the demo video -- with around 20 pneumatic actuators providing the movement. The face remains curiously paused, although we'd assume that the body prototype hasn't been paired with facial motions just yet, which just about puts it the right side of adorable. However, the demonstration does include some sinister faceless dance motions. It's right after the break -- you've been warned.
Osaka University wants to shake your hand with its robotic glove (video)
Feel like you aren't connecting with the people you video chat with? A team from Osaka University has developed a robotic hand that'll start a chat by gripping your paw with the warmth and firmness of a rugby player. Assembled from silicone and sponge, the researchers fitted a film heater to keep the electrical extremity at 37 degrees Celsius -- the theory being that if its warmer than your own hand, you're more predisposed toward it. Future plans for the mechanical metacarpus include adding a pressure sensor so it'll match your grip and welding it to a telepresence robot for executives to harass their colleagues with a constant stream of formal greetings. If you're wondering, the answer's yes; we do have footage of terrified exhibition guests giving it a go after the break.
Terahertz wireless chip could deliver 30Gbps of bandwidth, stream uncompressed 4K video
Usually, when we start talking terahertz, it means one thing: lasers! But not today, friends. Today, we're talking something with a little less flash and a little more potential for everyday use. ROHM, a Japanese electronics component manufacturer, has developed a chip measuring just 1.5mm by 3mm that can transmit data at up to 1.5Gbps using those precious terahertz radio waves. That's both significantly smaller and faster than existing terahertz wireless experiments and the research teams at ROHM and Osaka University (who are collaborating on the project) believe they can scale the tech up to 30Gbps -- enough bandwidth to stream HD video to every room in your home, provided you don't live in a 200 room mansion. Perhaps most exciting though, producing these chips costs only a few hundred Yen, while earlier versions saw prices hovering at around several thousand. For a few more technical details check out he machine translated PR at the source.
Geminoids meet their human doppelgangers for a photo op you'll never forget (video)
Three of the well-dressed individuals above are humans (at least they say they are). The other three are Geminoids -- lifelike robots created by professors Hiroshi Ishiguro and Henrik Scharfe in their image and that of one other willing assistant, all of whom got together for a little photo op last month. Creepy? You should see what else has come out of their lab. Video after the break.
Researchers show off 'flex' interface for touchscreens
No, it's not an actual flexible touchscreen, but this so-called "flex" interface developed by some researchers at Osaka University is still pretty novel. Rather than simply moving content off the screen when you're browsing something like Google Maps, it treats what's on the screen as an elastic, flexible material and squishes the content as it gets closer to the edge of the screen, which still lets you see it while you focus on a different area. That, the researchers say, would be just as effective on phones and other devices in addition to large touchscreens, and it would obviously be fairly easy to implement. Check it out in action in the video above.
Researchers enable tactile feedback for e-readers using real paper, just like the olden days (video)
Brainiacs from Osaka University have created what they've called the Paranga -- a device that fulfills the lack of tactile feedback of page turns when using an e-reader. It's got a built in sensor that detects when the book is being bent and will rotate a roll of paper strips against your thumb. The force exerted against the device will control the speed of the paper roll. Although it's not accurate enough to turn one page at a time, the researches believe that if foil is used instead of paper, the voltage will be discharged as soon as a page is turned, ensuring single-page accuracy. If you want to see a video of the Paranga imitate page-turning, press play on the embed below the break.
3D fog projection display brings purple bunnies to life, just in time to lay chocolate eggs (video)
Fog projectors have been around for ages, but projecting a 2D image onto a wavy field of 3D smoke doesn't exactly result in the most immersive experience ever. This system from a team at Osaka University is different, relying on three pico projectors all focused on a single column of steam that, as far as we can tell, is dropped down through a slew of multicolored drinking straws. Each projector has a slightly different perspective of the violet hare in question and, as you move about, the fog acts like a parallax barrier, only showing one angle at a time. With a few more projectors and a whole lot more fog the could be even greater. The bunnies, they would be majestic.
Elfoid is the human-shaped phone from Japan that tickles when it rings (video)
The Telenoid R1 achieved a new level of creepiness on the Japanese robotic front -- quite an achievement given the country's long history of oddball automated creations. Elfoid takes the cake, though. Developed at Osaka University and with help from NTT DoCoMo, Elfoid looks just like the Telenoid and, indeed, does much the same thing: giving you a human(ish) silhouette to talk to. This one, though, is designed to be stuffed in your pocket. It's basically a cellphone shaped like a vaguely human torso and head. You put it in your pocket and it tickles you when it rings. You talk into its belly and it speaks to you in response, playing the voice of whoever's on the other line through its face. It also moves and gesticulates to make you think that you're actually holding not Elfoid but that person you're conversing with. It's an odd concept, but holding a doll to your head still beats side talkin' on N-Gage.
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.
RoboCup Japan Open underway in Osaka, mechanical soccer still pretty boring (video)
They can be adapted to a wide range of human activities -- spying, killing, and assembling automobiles, to name but a few -- but as the various RoboCup competitions remind us time and again, our soccer fields are safe from robot encroachment for the time being. The above specimen, a joint venture by researchers at Osaka University and the Osaka Institute of Technology, is in the Adult Size Class, competing against robots between 130 and 160 centimeters (4.25 and 5.25 feet) tall. The goal of the RoboCup organization is to develop an autonomous soccer robot that will defeat a human team by 2050 -- and it sure looks like it will take forty years at least to reach that goal. See the robot take a slow, measured goal kick for yourself after the break.
Japan plans mind-reading robots and brain interface devices 'by 2020'
Our grandparents did warn us that laziness would get us in trouble. The Japanese government and private sector are, according to the Nikkei, all set to begin work on a collaborative new project to develop thought-controlled gadgets, devices ... and robots. The aim is to produce brain-to-computer interfaces that would allow the ability to change channels or pump out texts just with your almighty brain power, while also facilitating artificial intelligence that would be capable of detecting when you're hungry, cold, or in need of assistance. Manufacturing giants Toyota, Honda and Hitachi get name-dropped as potential participants in this 10-year plan, though we wonder if any of them will have the sense to ask what happens when an ultra-precise and emotionless bot is given both intelligence and mind-reading powers. Would it really stick to dunking biscuits in our tea, or would it prefer something a little more exciting?
Hiroshi Ishiguro's Geminoid-F humanoid mimics Earthlings, is definitely the beginning of the end (video)
Hiroshi Ishiguro (or his evil android twin, one) is back in business, and nearly four years after his Geminoid HI-1 startled youngsters everywhere, the Geminoid-F has arrived to consternate the grown-ups. Shown off this weekend in Osaka, Japan, the lifelike lady you see above (pictured left, just in case you were wondering) was designed to mimic human facial expressions that are fed in to its internal computer. The rubberized face has a rather insane amount of flexibility, enabling it to pull off subtle gestures that have thus far been impossible to replicate on a robot. Sly grins, angry glares and totally-fake smiles are all possible now, with developers hoping to have these in hospitals and the like in the not-too-distant future. Currently, copies of the humanoid are expected to sell for around ¥10,000,000 ($105,780), though it'll likely be robotics research organizations doing the majority of the buying. Hop on past the break for a video that's guaranteed to leave you stunned -- and while we're not fluent in Japanese, we're pretty sure someone asks if they "can rock that bad Larry on their dome."
M3 robots used to research human development, melt hearts (video)
Let's face it: anything that a human can do a robot can do better. Whether it's teaching our youngsters, giving physical therapy to our oldsters, or reading bedtime stories, robots are coming out on top. Researchers at Osaka University have developed two new devices recently called M3-neony and M3-synchy ("M3″ stands for "man-made man," while "neony" refers to the word neonate, and "synchy" to synchronized communication). The former is essentially a baby simulator that will be used to test machine learning software designed to shed some light on fine motor skill development. It is equipped with a pair of CMOS cameras for sight and microphones for hearing, gyro and accelerometer sensors, and tactile sensors. And it can crawl! The latter robot was developed to study communication through use with object recognition, speech recognition, and speech synthesis software. On the hardware end, this guy sports a head-mounted CCD camera, two microphones, a speaker, and fifteen LEDs (for making the robot blush). Needless to say, these are both very adorable -- so much so, in fact, that we might not even notice if they weaponize themselves. Let's just say the future just got a little cuter. And a little deadlier. Video after the break.
Nao performs Star Wars homage, scores mad geek cred
While we're still busy thinking up legitimate uses for a humanoid robot, Aldebaran Robotics keeps finding newer and zanier ways to play with its Nao. The latest is a pre-programmed Star Wars routine that should have all you aging loyalists positively moist with glee, and even includes a terrific R2D2 impersonation that is not to be missed. Past the break, you shall find it. Oh, and as to real world uses, there are further videos of Nao reading out your emails and doing balancing acts, which may be found at the source link.
CB2 "Child Robot" returns: smarter, creepier than ever
All caught up on your sleep? Good. 'Cause our old friend the "Child-robot with Biomimetic Body," or CB2, has now returned to haunt your nightmares. As you might expect, the bot hasn't simply spent its past two years of existence terrifying the staff at Osaka University, it's actually been learning, and it's now apparently able to make use of its 51 air-powered motors to move itself through a room "quite smoothly" -- with a helping hand, of course. What's more, the researchers behind CB2 are now also starting to talk about some of their future projects, including a new "robo species" that they say will have learning abilities "somewhere between those of a human and other primate species such as the chimpanzee." Yeah, we can't wait to see what that looks like either.
Mimi Switch remote control relies on facial expression, not phalanges
For some reason, whenever gadgetry and smiling cross paths, things tend to get a little creepy. Where the smile trainer was mostly a curiosity, the Orwellian implications of the Okao Catch technology were a bit much -- even for the hardened tech blogger. Sure, the Mimi Switch is quite clever: instead of relying on your fingers, this remote control uses an earbud containing infrared sensors that measure the inner ear movements resulting from various facial expressions. "An iPod can start or stop music when the wearer sticks his tongue out," says the inventor, Kazuhiro Taniguchi of Osaka University. Sounds innocent? Not so fast. The device can also be used to monitor your facial expressions for the appropriate levels of cheerfulness. "If it judges that you aren't smiling enough," the inventor goes on to say, "it may play a cheerful song." Or if you're smiling too much, the thing can be programmed to play some latter-day Depeche Mode. That always bums us out.
Atomic pen achieves invisible victory
Putting the world's tiniest book to shame -- not to mention the Torah-inscribed grain of rice -- a research team at Osaka University has "written" the letters "Si" using an atomic pen that interchanges silicon and tin atoms, enabling those who have the time, resources, and patience to manipulate said atoms one by one. The results are a diminutive 2 x 2 nm (or 40,000 times smaller than a strand of hair) which took about an hour and a half to complete. The previous best was a laughably large 0.07 x 0.10 mm tome hailing from SFU's Nano Imaging Lab. "It's not possible to write any smaller than this," said researcher Masayuki Abe, adding that, while the project sounded impressive on (really tiny) paper, it had failed to garner him any coveted cool points at the local bar. Next steps for the project will be determined once the team puts the finishing touches on the "g" and the "h."
Osaka University scientists create world's first optical pacemaker
Around 1.5 years ago, we got wind of researchers in the UK working up a battery-free pacemaker. Fast forward to now, and we've got yet another breakthrough in the field. Purportedly, a crew of Osaka University scientists have created the "world's first optical pacemaker," and in an article published in Optics Express, the team details how "powerful, but very short, laser pulses can help control the beating of heart muscle cells." In theory, this discovery provides the means for dictating said cells within a controlled setting, which could help researchers "better understand the mechanism of heart muscle contraction." As amazing as we're sure this is to the science world, throwing "lasers" and "heart" into the same sentence just doesn't elicit warm / fuzzy feelings.[Via Primidi]
Japanese scientist claims breakthrough with cold fusion experiment
While recent attempts to create a perpetual motion machine somehow, inexplicably didn't pan out, a physics professor from Osaka University now claims to have made a scientific breakthrough of another sort, with him now touting nothing less than a supposedly successful demonstration of cold fusion. That was apparently done by forcing deuterium gas under pressure into an evacuated cell containing a sample of palladium dispersed in zirconium oxide, which caused the deuterium to be absorbed by the palladium sample, resulting in a denser, or "pynco" deuterium, with deuterium nuclei that are close enough together to fuse. That process also supposedly resulted in a rise in temperature to about 70° Celsius, and a temperature in the center of the cell that remained "significantly warmer" than the cell wall for 50 hours after the test. Of course, there doesn't appear to be any other scientists ready to back up the experiment just yet, so you'll have to rely on your own armchair science expertise to get your hopes up or down accordingly on this one.[Via Slashdot, thanks One]
New bionic limbs to be controlled via brain-mounted sensors
Researchers at Osaka University are redefining "thought-controlled" limbs. Hailed as the first endeavor to dabble in the world of bionic phalanges by requiring open-skull surgery, the research is seeking to develop "real-time mind-controlled robotic limbs for the disabled." Of course, it's not the goal that's striking, but the means. Essentially, gurus working on the project are hoping to place electrode sheets directly on the surface of the brain in order to "obtain a more accurate signal," and amazingly enough, they're currently working to sign up willing subjects that are already scheduled to have brain electrodes added to deal with "monitoring epilepsy or other conditions." Maybe the bionic beings really aren't that far off, eh?[Via Pink Tentacle]
