Masamichi Hayashi, president of marine education establishment kyg-lab, has hand-crafted over 100 robotic marine creatures from recycled items such as plastic bottles, food containers, styrofoam, raincoats, and windshield wiper motors. A self-taught roboticist, Hayashi relies on his formal experience as a marine scientist to endow his machines with realistic movements, and he uses them in free shows to teach kids about the locomotion and behavior of sea creatures.
Here is a short video showing Hayashi's great white shark, manta ray, green turtle, hammerhead shark, Japanese giant salamander, porpoise, and killer whale.
Hayashi's masterpiece is a 1.5 meter (5 ft) long coelacanth robot that weighs 48 kilograms (105 lbs) and cost 2 million yen ($22,000) to build. Here is some video of a diver giving it a snack.
The coelacanth robot also makes a cameo in the next video, along with a tsuchinoko, a turtle, and a lake monster that carries a piece of waterborne trash to the curious onlookers on shore.
Relying on 3D tracking technology developed at the Ishikawa-Komuro Laboratory in 2003, scoreLight uses lasers to trace the outline of a drawing or object. As the laser dances along the contours, scoreLight produces and modulates sound according to the curvature, angle, texture, color, and contrast. An abrupt change in the direction of a line generates a discrete sound (a glitch or percussion sound), resulting in a steady rhythm when the laser follows a looped path (the size and shape of the looped path determines the tempo and structure of the beat). The device creates a layered tapestry of sound when multiple laser points explore different parts of a drawing.
Here is some video of scoreLight making music from a sketch of a brain:
scoreLight's developers include Alvaro Cassinelli (concept, hardware and software), Kuribara Yusaku (software), Daito Manabe (sound concept and programming) and Alexis Zerroug (electronics). See Cassinelli's YouTube channel for more videos.
Hundreds of robots have gathered at the International Robot Exhibition (IREX) now underway at Tokyo Big Sight. Here are a few photos from the event, which runs until November 28.
Yaskawa Electric Corporation displayed a variety of Motoman industrial robots able to perform tasks ranging from menial factory work to synchronized swordplay.
Fuji Heavy Industries (Subaru) also showcased their autonomous floor cleaning robot (developed jointly with Sumitomo), which was recognized as Robot of the Year in 2006.
The iRobi home robot by Yujin (Korea) can monitor the home, provide weather information and news, respond to voice commands, and entertain the kids with songs.
NEC's display included the Papero-mini tele-collaboration robot, which lacks the AI brain of its big brother and functions as a home videoconferencing tool.
Electronics giant NEC has reportedly developed a wearable optical device that interprets foreign languages and projects a real-time translation directly onto the retina, enabling the wearer to communicate with other language speakers without an interpreter.
The prototype device — called “Tele Scouter” — consists of a tiny retinal display and microphone mounted on an eyeglass frame. The microphone picks up the conversation and transmits it to a small computer worn on the waist, which converts the speech to text and translates it into the user’s native language.
The retinal display projects the text directly into the user’s peripheral vision, allowing them to maintain eye contact with their conversation partner while reading the translation. According to the developers, the Tele Scouter can be used for hours on end without eye strain, because the wearer does not have to focus their eye on the displayed text.
Although NEC plans to put a version of the Tele Scouter on the market in 2010, the company admits the device’s translation capabilities are insufficient for real-world applications. So for now, the initial plan is to market the device as a wearable data display for employees in factories and shops.
According to the company, the device can provide instant hands-free access to data such as diagrams and operating instructions, allowing workers to perform tasks more efficiently and accurately. Other possible future applications include car navigation systems and video games.
Towering over Wakasu Kaihin Park in Tokyo's Koto ward is one of the largest wind turbines in Japan, a 100 meter (330 ft) tall power generator built by Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) in 2004, which outputs 1,950 kilowatts of electricity and is adorned with images of Astro Boy, Phoenix, Black Jack, Sharaku (the Three-eyed One), Unico and other Osamu Tezuka manga characters.
According to this NTV news report, the life-sized humanoid robot was developed as a realistic training aid for medical workers. In addition to sporting a suit of human-like skin, the robot sweats, convulses, moans, cries tears, and exhibits symptoms not unlike a real human patient infected with the H1N1 virus. If the robot does not receive the proper treatment, the symptoms gradually worsen until it stops breathing.
The news report fails to mention who created the robot, but it looks like it might be a distant cousin of the emergency care simulator developed by IMI.
Humanoid robot Saya works reception at Takashimaya main entrance [+]
Saya, a female humanoid robot that can recognize and respond to human speech, spent the past several days working as a receptionist at the prestigious Takashimaya department store in Tokyo's Nihonbashi district.
Developed in 2004 by professor Hiroshi Kobayashi of the Tokyo University of Science, the speech-capable robot can provide about 700 programmed responses to questions and commands -- enough to direct customers to the appropriate floor, make small talk, and answer a few basic questions about herself and her background.
Pneumatic actuators in Saya's head allow her to move her neck, mouth and eyes while she speaks. She can produce facial expressions ranging from happiness and surprise to sadness and anger.
During her stint at Takashimaya from October 14 to 18, Saya dressed like her human co-workers in a Takashimaya receptionist uniform. She also wore makeup by RMK (view a close-up). Curious shoppers seemed amused by her presence, and many stopped at the reception counter to ask questions and chat.
Although she responded appropriately most of the time, the cyber-receptionist occasionally seemed to misunderstand what people said. For example, one person complimented Saya by saying, "You are pretty," but the robot flashed a look of disdain and responded with, "Are you crazy?"
In recent days, Japan's major automakers have been releasing details about the concept cars they plan to unveil at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, which will be held from October 24 to November 4, 2009 at Makuhari Messe near Tokyo. Environmental friendliness appears to be the common theme.
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- Toyota FT-EV II
Toyota will debut the FT-EV II, an ultra-compact electric vehicle.
Toyota FT-EV II
With a range of 90 kilometers (56 mi) and a top speed of around 100 kph (62 mph), the FT-EV II -- which stands for "Future Toyota Electric Vehicle II" -- is designed for short-distance urban driving.
Despite the vehicle's tiny size, there is seating for four inside. The designers were able to free up interior space by removing items found in traditional vehicles, such as the brake and acceleration pedals, which have been replaced by joystick controls. Other features include a dye-sensitized solar panel, electric sliding doors, and a retro-futuristic interior.
Toyota FT-EV II
By incorporating a variety of communications functions into the dashboard, Toyota aims to demonstrate how the electric vehicle might function as a powerful information device in the networked society of the future.
Toyota FT-EV II
In addition to connecting with navigation services, the FT-EV II can download music and movie content, make recommendations tailored to individual preferences, and communicate with the driver's home network, thus allowing the driver cruise the information superhighway while tooling around town. [More]
Equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission, the new Kiyora is powered by a fuel-efficient 1.3-liter gasoline engine that gets up to 75 mpg with the help of regenerative braking, advanced aerodynamics and a system that shuts the engine off at stops. [More]
Honda's EV-N concept, which looks like a 21st-century version of the classic Honda N600 of the late 60s and early 70s, has a solar roof that charges the battery-powered motor, interchangeable seat fabrics, and a car-to-car communications system in the front bumper.
Using the latest in balancing technology obtained from Honda's ASIMO robot, the U3-X is capable of detecting slight changes in weight shift and adjusting its directional path accordingly. By leaning, the rider can steer the U3-X forward, backward, side-to-side and diagonally, as seen in the video below.
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- Honda CR-Z
Although Honda still calls it a concept car, the CR-Z hybrid hatchback is slated for production early next year in Japan.
Inside the cockpit, the driver sits front and center behind a futuristic-looking instrument panel and a steering wheel that resembles a pair of joysticks.
The five-door compact crossover combines sporty driving with environmental performance, and its exterior and interior are inspired by dune buggies and motorcycles.
Inside, the framework of the seats and doors is partially exposed for an unfinished look, and the center console is designed to resemble a motorcycle fuel tank and seat. [More]
Billed as an environmentally-friendly grand touring car, the Subaru Hybrid Tourer Concept is a four-passenger hybrid vehicle equipped with gullwing doors for a sense of openness.
During normal driving, the all-wheel drive Hybrid Tourer is powered by a 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged gasoline engine. The vehicle's two electric motors are used for low-speed driving and recharging the lithium-ion batteries, and for providing an boost when extra acceleration is needed. [More]
The PX-MiEV's front and rear wheels are powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors, while a 1.6-liter gasoline engine powers the front wheels and works as a generator. The vehicle's smart control system automatically switches between the various driving modes depending on the vehicle speed, battery level, and road conditions.
A 3-way battery charging system allows the vehicle to be charged using either a 100-volt or a 200-volt domestic supply, or a high-power quick-charging station. In addition to powering the motors, the battery can also supply electricity to user's home during the daytime when domestic power consumption is highest, and it can be used used as an emergency power source in the event of a natural disaster. Devices can also be plugged into the vehicle's 100-volt AC auxiliary socket in the rear luggage compartment.
The PX-MiEV uses heat reflective glass and paint for a cool interior. Each of the four seats is equipped with an individual air conditioner, while a negative-ion aroma humidifier and oxygen enricher improve the comfort level and reduce fatigue.
Safety features include a monitor that displays a composite image of the vehicle's immediate surroundings, as well as a driver monitoring system that uses a camera to detect drowsy eyes. If the system detects a lapse in concentration, the driver is alerted by a series of attention-getting lights, sounds, vibrations, and smells. [More]
Outfitted with Yamaha's Vocaloid singing voice synthesizer software, the HRP-4C female fashion model humanoid robot developed by AIST earlier this year has been entertaining CEATEC Japan visitors with renditions of popular songs.
