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Saturday, November 5, 2011

Japan's latest show robot


HRP-4C
The new Japanese humanoid robot HRP-4C displays a range of emotions
 (good luck discerning what they are) during a press conference in suburban
 Tokyo this week. Naturally, plenty of paparazzi were on hand.
(Credit: AFP Photo/Yoshikazu Tsuno)
She doesn't have
 the grace of a
Cindy Crawford or
 Elle MacPherson
 (yet), but a few
struts on the catwalk
may help HRP-4C
loosen up and hit her
stride. The walking,
talking girlbot will be getting practice soon, as she's set
 to make her catwalk debut at a Tokyo fashion show next
 week.
Scientists from Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science
 and Technologyreportedly designed the 5-foot (ish), dark-haired creation
 to look like an average Japanese woman between the ages of 19 and 29.
 Unlike the average Japanese woman, however, HRP-4C has 30 motors
 in her body that allow her to walk and move its arms (somewhat loudly
and awkwardly, if the video below is any indication) and 8 facial motors for
 blinking, smiling, and expressing emotions akin to anger and surprise.
According to the Associated Press, the robotic
framework for the HRP-4C, sans face and other
 coverings, will sell for about $200,000, and the
 technology behind it will eventually be made public
 so people can come up their own moves for the bot.
The government-backed AIST says she's mostly being
 developed for the entertainment industry--for use in
amusement parks, for example, or as an exercise
teacher--and is not yet ready to help with daily chores.
 So unfortunately for those eager to hire HRP-4C as a
 home or office assistant, for now at least, her main job
 is to look pretty--or odd, depending on your perspective.

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