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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.

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.

Saya dressed in Takashimaya uniform [+]

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.

A customer asks Saya a question [+]

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.

A peek behind the counter [+]

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.

A shopper tells Saya she is pretty [+]

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?”

“Are you crazy?” [+]

Saya grabbed headlines earlier this year when she took on a side job as a substitute teacher at a Tokyo elementary school.

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In this video, HRP-4C sings a rendition of Hitoto Yo’s “Hanamizuki.”

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Equipped with a series of motors and pneumatic actuators, the mechanical tumor pulsates gently when the CPU load is low. When the CPU load is high, the tumor’s air compressor is activated, causing the lump of flesh to inflate.

The size of the tumor fluctuates according to the CPU utilization rate, giving the user a very tangible reading of the computer’s stress level.

* * * * *

Other biologically inspired interactive devices by Mio I-zawa include “external heart,” a squishy latex heart on wheels that beats and rolls around in sync with the user’s pulse…

…and “elastic cell,” a system of 46 soft pulsating cells that react to human touch in a complex, lifelike way.

[Link: Mio I-zawa]

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According to the video, WAHHA GO GO is activated by spinning the torso-mounted metal disk (an optional crank arm can be used for greater speed). The disk’s rotational energy is transferred to the machine’s left and right arms via a gear assembly in the lower back. As the arms rotate, the accordion-like lungs expand upward, drawing in air that is then exhaled through the machine’s artificial vocal cords.

Another set of gear wheels in the spine transfers some of the spinning disk’s rotational energy to the head assembly, which includes a pair of tiny arms that stretch and relax WAHHA GO GO’s artificial vocal cords (thus regulating the pitch), as well as an arm connected to a valve that controls the flow of air from the lungs. This arm also opens and closes the mouth, which alters the so-called “formant characteristics” (resonant frequency) of the laugh, producing the “wa” and “ha” sounds.

By incorporating a series of mechanisms that work together to control the pitch, resonant frequency, and amount of air supplied to the artificial vocal cords, WAHHA GO GO is able to produce an uncanny human-like laugh.

[Link: YouTube]

Phasma, a six-legged remote-controlled robot by takram design engineering, is built to run rapidly and dynamically like an insect.

Described as an attempt to mimic a living organism purely through its motion, rather than its shape, the mechanical bug employs a design that reproduces some of the physics at work when an insect runs.

Using components such as sliding cables, stainless steel springs and rubber joints, the designers were able to replicate the smooth and efficient locomotion seen in insects.

Particularly interesting is Phasma’s use of the so-called alternating tripod gait, a highly stable walking pattern commonly used by insects in the natural world.

The video embedded above shows the Phasma at a recent demonstration at 21_21 Design Sight at Tokyo Midtown.

[Link: takram design engineering]

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The system consists of a Holo display (developed by Provision Interactive Technologies), a pair of Wii Remotes that track the position of the user’s hand in front of the screen, and an “Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display” unit that shoots focused ultrasonic waves at the hand to create the sensation of pressure on the skin.

By controlling the movement of these focused ultrasonic waves — which can produce up to 1.6 grams-force of pressure within a 20-millimeter-wide focal point — the projector can recreate virtual objects that seem to have physical mass. In the video above, the projector displays a tangible virtual bouncing ball, raindrops, and a small creature that runs around on the user’s hand.

The tangible hologram projector is now on display at SIGGRAPH 2009 in New Orleans.

[Link: Touchable Holography (PDF) via @GreatDismal]

Here comes the robot bride — HRP-4C models a wedding dress

The chic robot, who stands 158 centimeters (5 ft 2 in) tall and weighs 43 kilograms (95 lbs) with her batteries installed, wore a wedding dress by designer Yumi Katsura.

Although much less hurried than her flesh-and-bone catwalk peers, the HRP-4C strolled smoothly up and down the 10-meter runway, struck various poses, and gazed sidelong at the delighted audience.

The positive response of the crowd shows the robot may have a future in entertainment, just as her creators suggested at her unveiling in March. At that event, they claimed HRP-4C’s realistic looks had the potential to draw crowds at amusement parks and promotional events.

Developer Kazuhito Yokoi, who appeared at today’s fashion show in a tuxedo, expressed his wishes for the robot’s future. “We hope she can work in fashion and entertainment,” he said, staring pensively at the stage.

Then, as if seeing his creation in a bridal gown had stirred his emotions, he added, “Like the father of a bride, I feel both happy and sad.”

[Source: Chunichi]

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Spotted at the International Stationery and Office Products Fair, this eye-catching digital signage system consists of a 0.3-millimeter-thick high-luminance rear-projection film (Vikuiti Rear Projection Film developed by 3M) applied to a 3-millimeter-thick glass substrate cut into the shape of a woman. A rear projector beams video onto the film, whose microbead-arrayed surface produces a crisp, brilliant image viewable from any angle, even in brightly lit environments.

[Source: Robot Watch]

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The fleshy robot hand, which weighs 340 grams and consists of soft silicone skin stretched over a polycarbonate skeleton, has 22 pneumatically-powered artificial muscles that enable it to bend its fingers like a human hand. The robot can perform 20 different moves, ranging from a delicate two-finger pinch to a full-hand squeeze.

According to Squse, the robot’s delicate grip makes it suitable for a variety of manual labor jobs that require a human touch, such as handling parts in the factory, packing food, or even harvesting crops on the farm. The hand might also be used as a prosthetic limb, say the developers.

Researchers from Waseda University have teamed up with Kyushu-based robot manufacturer tmsuk to develop a humanoid robot that uses its entire body to express a variety of emotions. (Watch video.)

Named “KOBIAN,” the android integrates features of two previously developed robots — the WABIAN-2 bipedal humanoid and the WE-4RII emotion expression humanoid — into a bipedal machine that can walk around, perceive its environment, perform physical tasks, and express a range of emotions. The robot also features a new double-jointed neck that helps it achieve more expressive postures.

Delight

KOBIAN can express seven different feelings, including delight, surprise, sadness and dislike. In addition to assuming different poses to match the mood, the emotional humanoid uses motors in its face to move its lips, eyelids and eyebrows into various positions. To express delight, for example, the robot lifts its soft rubbery hands over its head and opens its eyes and mouth wide.

Sadness

To show sadness, the robot slouches over, hangs its head down and holds a hand up to its face in a gesture of grief.

Aversion

According to KOBIAN’s developers, the robot’s expressiveness makes it better equipped to interact with humans and assist with daily activities. In the future, the robot may seek work in the field of nursing.

[Source: Nikkei Net // Photos, video: Robot Watch]

In the 18th and 19th centuries, sideshow carnivals known as misemono were a popular form of entertainment for the sophisticated residents of Edo (present-day Tokyo). The sideshows featured a myriad of educational and entertaining attractions designed to evoke a sense of wonder and satisfy a deep curiosity for the mysteries of life. One popular attraction was the pregnant doll.

“Light-skinned” pregnant doll – Edo-Tokyo Museum [+]

Although it is commonly believed that these dolls were created primarily to teach midwives how to deliver babies, evidence suggests they were also used for entertainment purposes.

“Dark-skinned” pregnant doll – Edo-Tokyo Museum [+]

For example, records from 1864 describe a popular show in Tokyo’s Asakusa entertainment district that educated audiences about the human body. The show featured a pregnant doll whose abdomen could be opened to reveal fetal models depicting the various stages of prenatal development.

Baby doll – Edo-Tokyo Museum [+]

Similarly, records of Japan’s first national industrial exhibition in 1877 indicate a Yamagata prefecture hospital doctor named Motoyoshi Hasegawa showed off an elaborate set of fetus models illustrating seven different stages of growth, from embryo to birth.

Fetus model set (circa 1877) – Toyota Collection [+]

Although it is unclear whether the fetus model set pictured here is the same one Hasegawa showed in 1877, records suggest his model was a hit at the exhibition.

[Source: Geijutsu Shincho magazine, July 2001]

Upon returning to class after the Golden Week holidays, students at a Tokyo elementary school were delighted to find their teacher had been replaced by a robot. The talking humanoid, named “Saya,” was originally developed as a receptionist robot in 2004 by professor Hiroshi Kobayashi of the Tokyo University of Science, but has recently begun taking on work as a substitute teacher.

Amused students poke Saya’s soft face

The robot, which can speak multiple languages, uses facial expressions to facilitate communication. With an array of motors in her head that stretch the soft synthetic skin into various positions, Saya can display emotions ranging from happiness and surprise to sadness and anger.

However, Saya needs to work on improving her classroom management skills. At present, she can’t do much more than call out names and shout orders like “Be quiet.” But that does not make her any less popular with the kids.

“Robots that look human tend to be a big hit with young children and the elderly,” Kobayashi recently told the Associated Press. “Children even start crying when they are scolded.”

[Source: Sankei]