Simroid: Dentistry in the uncanny valley (video)
Simroid, a robotic dental patient with an eerily realistic appearance, has been spotted at the 2007 International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo. Designed primarily as a training tool for dentists, the fembot patient can follow spoken instructions, closely monitor a dentist’s performance during mock treatments, and react in a human-like way to mouth pain. Because Simroid’s realistic appearance and behavior motivate people to treat her like a human being, as opposed to an object, she helps dental trainees learn how to better communicate with patients.
Simroid’s body and control system was developed by Kokoro Company Ltd., creators of the Actroid receptionist robot. Like her Actroid sister, Simroid is equipped with a system of air-powered muscles and soft silicone skin. However, she has something the Actroid does not — sensitive teeth. Thanks to a mouth loaded with sensors, she knows when her dentist-in-training makes a mistake. And to express her pain, she grimaces, moves her hands and eyes, and says, “That hurts.”
Kokoro says that for an extra touch of realism, Simroid exhibits a gag reflex when instruments are inserted too far into her mouth.
Watch a video demonstration…
[Via: IT Media]
I like the end of the video where the “patient” sits up with a frozen look of terror on her android face!
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was that.. do they really need an anatomically correct full body version of a young woman?
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Quite possibly the Asian girl of your dreams. Note how her mouth stays conveniently open without having to talk dirty to her.
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The AFP article on this says that she even has “a sensor on the breast area that keeps track if it has been touched inappropriately”. XD
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Didn’t she have a cameo in The Polar Express? I coulda sworn…
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thats out of order… she deserves to have a life and not be used as a toy for u dentist students! i bet she cnt even watch tv :( im sure u wouldnt like it if ur name was simroid and someone was playing around with things in ur mouth! …MEANIES!
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There could be some very perverted ideas regarding that dental robot.
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Wow that robot is amazingly realistic
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This looks like something my less salubrious competition would sell as a bedroom accessory for guys!
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