Ultrasonic Bath: Human washing machine

10 Feb 2009

Ultrasonic bath/Human washing machine, Sanyo --

At the 1970 World Expo in Osaka, consumer electronics maker Sanyo demonstrated their vision for the future by showcasing a series of appliances they thought would populate the home of tomorrow. Included was the Ultrasonic Bath, a pod-like human washing machine that cleans, massages and dries the user in a fully automated 15-minute process.


- Ultrasonic bath demo video

Using a ladder, the bather climbs in through an opening on top of the machine, which stands about 2 meters (6 ft) tall. Once the desired water temperature is set and the main switch is activated, the pre-rinse cycle starts, spraying the user with jets of hot water for 5 minutes.

Ultrasonic bath/Human washing machine, Sanyo --

Next, the chamber fills up with hot water for a 3-minute massage bath. High-pressure jets create a powerful whirlpool, and scores of knobby, golf ball-sized "massage balls" suspended in the water pelt the body, delivering a vigorous massage intended to stimulate blood circulation. An ultrasonic wave generator creates a ticklish cloud of tiny air bubbles that lift dirt from the skin.

Ultrasonic bath/Human washing machine, Sanyo --

The bath is then followed by a 2-minute hot rinse cycle. Finally, a 5-minute dry cycle blasts the user with warm air, while a flood of infrared and ultraviolet light destroys any lingering germs.

Ultrasonic bath/Human washing machine, Sanyo --

Developed as a concept model, the Ultrasonic Bath never made it into our homes. Several years ago, however, Sanyo unveiled the $50,000 HIRB ("Human In Roll-lo Bathing") system, a compact version designed for use in elderly homes.

[Link]

Snow sculptures at Sapporo Snow Festival 2009

07 Feb 2009

Here are some photos of giant snow sculptures from the 60th annual Sapporo Snow Festival, which runs until February 11.

Yuki Matsuri 2009 --
Hakodate Magistrate's Office [Photo: Moontears]

?60????????? --
Kinnikuman [Photo: Talk P]

??? --
Namdaemun (check out the the LIVE WEBCAM [WMP]) [Photo: Sasakei]

Yuki Festival 2009 --
Namdaemun under construction [Photo: tetsu]

Snow Festival, Sapporo, Hokkaido --
Olympic gold medalist swimmer Kōsuke Kitajima [Photo: Sasakei]

Snow sculpture --
Kitajima under construction [Photo: tetsu]

60th Anniversary Snow Festival 2009 --
Hamamatsu Castle [Photo: Talk P]

Yuki Matsuri 2009 --
Sento-kun & Manto-kun [Photo: tetsu]

Sapporo Snow Festival 2009 --
25 years in Japan [Photo: Sasakei]

Ice sculpture --
Japan Self-Defense Force soldiers cleaning mouse heads [Photo: Reuters]

Ice sculpture --
Stitch [Photo: Talk P]

????? --
Tsuyo Ink [Photo: Sapporo Snow Festival Official Site]

?????? --
Snow Zoo [Photo: bigarnex]

?????? --
Alien Baltan [Photo: bigarnex]

?????? --
Pekkle [Photo: bigarnex]

Video: Starfish Hitler

06 Feb 2009

Via The Echinoblog's profile of starfish-themed monsters in Japanese cinema come these classic clips of Starfish Hitler, a Government of Darkness (G.O.D.) villain who battled superhero Kamen Rider X on TV in 1974.


+ Part 1: Kamen Rider X vs Starfish Hitler


+ Part 2: Kamen Rider X vs Starfish Hitler

[Link: The Echinoblog]

Webcam footage of Mt. Asama eruption

03 Feb 2009

Mt. Asama volcano eruption --
[Video link]

Here is some awesome time-lapse footage of the eruption of Mount Asama, an active volcano straddling the border of Gunma and Nagano prefectures north of Tokyo, which suddenly awoke in the early morning hours of Monday, February 2. The video was shot between 1:55 and 2:30 AM.

- - - - -

Other cameras captured the volcanic activity from different angles. The time-lapse videos below were created from photos shot at 10-minute intervals. The eruption occurs toward the end of each video.

Mt. Asama volcano eruption --
[Video link]

Mt. Asama volcano eruption --
[Video link]

Mt. Asama volcano eruption --
[Video link]

Latest photos of Mt. Asama: 1, 2, 3.

[Link: Maechan.net]

Photos: Yoichiro Kawaguchi’s robot designs

02 Feb 2009

More photos of Yoichiro Kawaguchi's robot designs on display at Yushima Seid? temple in Tokyo:

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design -- Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design -- Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design -- Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design -- Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Yoichiro Kawaguchi robot design --

Gold mined from sewage sludge

30 Jan 2009

Gold mined from sewage sludge --

A sewage plant in Japan's Nagano prefecture has started mining gold from sludge, earning a cool 5 million yen ($56,000) in its first month of operation.

On January 28, sewage plant operator Nagano Prefecture Suwa Construction Office announced that approximately 1.9 kilograms (4.2 lbs) of gold can be mined from each ton of molten fly ash generated when incinerating sludge at its facility in the town of Suwa.

Located in central Nagano prefecture, the Suwa Basin is home to numerous precision machining companies, metal plating facilities and hot springs, which may explain the high concentration of gold in the wastewater sludge.

Joint research conducted in 2007 by Nagano prefecture and the Japan Sewage Works Agency found that the concentration of gold in the ash was comparable to that of a high-grade ore. But because the cost of extracting the gold outweighed the potential profit, the operator continued treating the ash as an industrial waste material.

However, with the recent rise in the price of gold, Suwa decided to start mining the molten fly ash. Last October, they sold 1.4 tons of the ash to a smelting company. At the end of January, Suwa is scheduled to receive its first payment of 5 million yen ($56,000) for the recovered gold.

By the end of March 2009, Suwa plans to mine a total of 5 tons of ash for a profit of 15 million yen ($167,000). The sewage operator says it will use the revenue to help pay for plant maintenance and operating costs.

The facility treats about 100,000 tons of wastewater each day, generating about 3 tons of ash in the process.

[Sources: Yomiuri, Nagano Nippo]

‘Organic’ robots to mimic primitive life

27 Jan 2009

Primitive lifeforms as robots --

A University of Tokyo research team led by professor/computer graphic artist Yoichiro Kawaguchi is developing robots designed to imitate primitive life forms. Mockups have been put on display at a Confucian temple in Tokyo, and working versions of the robots are scheduled for completion in two years.

According to the researchers, these robots are being developed as a way to explore artificial life and gain insights into how living things survive in a world governed by the law of the jungle.

Primitive lifeforms as robots --

Kawaguchi and his team are developing a basic reflex system for the primitive artificial life forms, as well as a visual processing system equipped with eyes that recognize and instinctively track certain objects.

In addition, the researchers are working to create powerful biomimetic actuators for locomotion. As part of their research, Kawaguchi and his team have conducted computer simulations to investigate the use of neural oscillators in a locomotion system that imitates the way centipedes crawl. They are also working on simple, mechanical tentacles that extend and contract to move the robot in a specified direction. If all goes according to schedule, they will have a fully functional robot in two years.

Primitive lifeforms as robots --

With a more thorough understanding of how primitive life forms survive, the researchers believe they can provide robots with a better ability to move, hunt, sense danger, and escape. They suggest that strong survival and hunting skills can be put to use in applications ranging from security guard dog robots to swarm robots tasked with exploring the surface of an alien planet.

Primitive lifeforms as robots --

Kawaguchi, a professor at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Information Studies, has become known for creating artistic computer graphics programs that exhibit "lifelike" behavior such as self-organization and self-propagation. The robot mockups, which are three-dimensional models of his previous computer graphics work, will remain on display at Yushima Seid? temple until February 8.

[Source: Robot Watch]

UPDATE: More photos HERE.

Bunraku puppet robots resurrected (pics/video)

26 Jan 2009

Bunraku robot -- Bunraku robot --

A trio of old-school bunraku puppet robots revived nearly 40 years after they were unveiled at the 1970 World Expo in Osaka are temporarily on display at the National Science Museum in Tokyo. Modeled after classic bunraku puppets, each pre-programmed robot is driven by around 20 pneumatic cylinders that move the arms, torso, head and face in sync with accompanying audio.

Here's some video of one whose face transforms into that of a demon:


+ Bunraku robot

A few more photos of the other robots, which are on display at the Science Museum until February 8:

Bunraku robot -- Bunraku robot -- Bunraku robot --

Bunraku robot --

Bunraku robot --

Bunraku robot --

Bunraku robot --

Bunraku robot --

Tiny doll made of living cells

23 Jan 2009

Tiny doll made of cell capsules --

To demonstrate a new method for fabricating three-dimensional living biological structures, researchers at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) have created a 5-millimeter tall doll composed of living cells.

According to an announcement made on January 22, the researchers created the tiny figurine by cultivating 100,000 cell capsules -- 0.1-millimeter balls of collagen, each coated with dozens of skin cells -- together inside a doll-shaped mold for one day. After the cell capsules had coalesced to form the doll-shaped mass of tissue, it was placed in a culture solution, where it reportedly survived for more than a day.

The researchers, led by IIS professor Shoji Takeuchi, also successfully tested the biofabrication method with human liver cells. According to Takeuchi, the technique can be used to create bodily organs and tissues with complex cellular structures, which may prove useful in the fields of regenerative medicine and drug development.

"The overall shape can be controlled by changing the mold," said Takeuchi, who expressed a desire to combine multiple types of cells to create a complex system that functions as a living organism.

[Sources: Yomiuri, 47NEWS]