The List
6 Real-Life Japanese Robots Moving into the Marketplace
by Lynzee Loveridge,
Technology is a constant presence in modern lives. Most of us carry a "phone" that contains more capabilities than what we used to land man on the moon. What once was a technological dream is slowly becoming reality as developers introduce more intricate, accurate, and personable robots. Each have their own unique abilities that make them suitable to work among humans, from customer service to inspecting dangerous environments.
6. Cocorobo Roomba vacuuming robots have been on the market for over a decade now, zipping around on our floors and cleaning up after us. According to Sharp execs though, customers wanted their petite maid robots to talk, too. The Cocorobo is Sharp's answer to the talking vacuum demand with a personality mimicking a little sister. Ibuki Kido (who starred in OniAi) voices Cocorobo-chan who Sharp describes as sounding attractive, being cute, having a unique and cheerful personality (but may answer sullenly when it feels moody), and being a good listener and conversation partner 24-hours a day.
5. Otonaroid The Otonaroid (lit. "adultroid") and its creepy companions Kodomoroid (lit. "childroid") and the infant-like Telenoid debuted at Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo last year. The Otonaroid and Kodomoroid were developed by professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, and the exhibit showed off their abilities as potential newscasters. They're capable of carrying on basic conversation and even emotes a variety of facial expressions.
4. Hitachi Transformer In the midst of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant leaking radioactive water after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Hitachi released its Transformer underwater robot. Although it has no relation to Hasbro's popular line of toys, this transformer is instead designed for recon and repair in areas that would otherwise be too hazardous for humans. Its treads allow it to move up walls and around obstacles within a nuclear reactor while it's smaller variation can squeeze into spaces ten centimeters (4 inches) in diameter.
3. Asimo Honda's Asimo started making waves in the robot world as early as 1986. He's since undergone numerous upgrades since as the technology continued to evolve. The current version can walk backwards, forwards, go up and down stairs, recognize multiple faces at once, and work in your local Starbucks. Asimo has dexterous hands comparable to a human's in some cases, allowing it to both pour and serve drinks in glass and paper cups. Unfortunately, his battery life is still quite lacking and can only operate for 40 minutes at a time.
2. NAO Humanoid The NAO robot looks like the natural progression of the XL-2 from the 90s, but definitely doesn't run off tape decks. NAO's primary purpose is companionship and education and has since been added to classrooms around the world to teach science and programming. He uses facial recognition, touch sensors, and microphones to interact with the environment around him. NAO has also been picked up for his customer service capabilities to work in a hotel in Japan.
1. Pepper Pepper has tons of opportunities at her disposable. Softbank's AI robot already has jobs lined up at hotels and even at Softbank's own office. Her abilities can be modded for all kinds of other industries thanks to her updatable interface. Creative fans have already altered Pepper for more lewd activities, while others taught her to be a Catholic nun, play video games, work as a Miko, sing like an idol, and officiate weddings.
The new poll: What is your favorite shōjo/josei manga?
The old poll: Last week we asked what anime series within the last five years would you most want to see on TV in your home country? Here's the full results (entries under 1% omitted):
- Hunter x Hunter (2011) 8.0%
- JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 5.4%
- Psycho-Pass 4.6%
- Madoka Magica 4.5%
- Steins;Gate 4.4%
- Gintama 4.1%
- Fate/Zero 3.5%
- Parasyte -the maxim- 2.9%
- Durarara!! 2.8%
- Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun 2.4%
- Blood Blockade Battlefront 2.3%
- Log Horizon 2.2%
- Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2.1%
- Angel Beats! 2.1%
- Monogatari Series 1.9%
- No Game, No Life 1.6%
- Gundam Build Fighters 1.6%
- Death Parade 1.6%
- Yowamushi Pedal 1.5%
- Space Brothers 1.5%
- Love Live! 1.2%
- Attack on Titan (outside the U.S.) 1.1%
- Nichijou - My Ordinary Life 1.0%
- Chihayafuru 1.0%
- Shirobako 1.0%
- Heartcatch Precure 1.0%
- Noragami 1.0%
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