Archives: June 2007

Virtual itasha invade Forza 2

18 Jun 2007

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 --

Since the release of the Forza Motorsport 2 racing sim for Xbox 360 several weeks ago, players worldwide have been using the in-game custom paint function to create incredible designs for their cars, which they can either race online or buy, sell and trade through the game's virtual auction house. Japan?s digital racers have been in on the fun from the start, turning their virtual rides into magnificent itasha that scream otaku pride.

Here are links to two enormous online galleries (Gallery 1, Gallery 2) of virtual otaku-mobile paint jobs incorporating loads of Japanese-flavored eye candy, from anime and manga to games, food packaging and more. What makes these detailed paint jobs even more impressive is the fact they are created entirely with the game's basic paint tools -- a limited selection of vector shapes that can be colored, scaled, rotated and layered endlessly to create complex designs. Graphics cannot be imported from external sources, so everything is created manually step by step in what is undoubtedly a time-consuming process.

Here's a tiny sample of some of the work found in the galleries:

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 --

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 --

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 --

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 --

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 ---

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 --

Virtual itasha in Forza 2 --

[Link: Gallery 1, Gallery 2 via TECHSIDE]

Power Pedal robot suit

15 Jun 2007

Power Pedal robot exoskeleton -- On June 15, electronics giant Matsushita Electric (Panasonic's parent company) unveiled a wearable robot suit called Power Pedal, which attaches to the lower body and provides users with up to seven times more leg strength.

Once strapped in, the user applies pressure to a pair of sensor-equipped pedals to control the suit, which is capable of moving in one of six directions with each step. Power Pedal is also designed to handle strolls over rough terrain, according to Matsushita.

Researchers from Active Link, a Matsushita venture company, worked with Ritsumeikan University to develop a prototype of the powered suit, which is set to go on sale in August at a price of 20 million yen ($167,000) each. The company plans to cut the cost to around 3.5 million yen ($30,000) by the year 2015, as they aim to create a commercial product that can help the elderly and disabled to walk.

Matsushita also believes the robot suit could play a useful role in disaster relief operations, especially if combined with the company's previous upper body robot suit technology developed in 2005, which is designed to provide users with an extra 50 kilograms (110 lbs) of arm strength.

[Source: Yomiuri]

Heat-sensitive urinal stickers as bug spray marketing gimmick

14 Jun 2007

Heat-sensitive urinal stickers as marketing tool -- The marketing minds at Fumakilla, a pesticide manufacturer, have launched a gimmicky bug spray promotional campaign that makes use of heat-sensitive, color-changing stickers placed in urinals at public restrooms around Shinjuku station. Under ordinary, dry conditions, the special urinal stickers show a housefly in the crosshairs of a rifle scope, but as men take aim and relieve themselves on the stickers, the fly transforms into an advertising message.

The stickers are printed with a layer of special, heat-sensitive ink developed by Pilot Ink. When the sticker is exposed to a certain amount of heat, this layer of ink becomes transparent, revealing an advertisement printed underneath. Dai Nippon Printing, who manufactured the stickers for Fumakilla, designed them to withstand the rigors of being placed in a public urinal for extended periods of time. Fumakilla says that in addition to serving as a form of advertising, the stickers provide men with a convenient target to aim for when using urinals, which leads to a cleaner restroom environment.

The company has also launched a website featuring a simple Flash game called "Ippatsu Meichu," which allows players to test their fly-shooting skills in a virtual lavatory. Make sure not to make a mess, though, or you'll get a visit from the angry toilet lady.

[Source: IT Media]

Unidentified deep-sea creature

12 Jun 2007

Unidentified deep-sea creature --

On June 11, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) released photographs of a mysterious deep-sea creature believed to be an unknown species of comb jelly, or ctenophore, a jellyfish-like marine animal. Taken by JAMSTEC's "Kaikou" unmanned submersible at a depth of 7,217 meters (nearly 24,000 feet) in the Ryukyu Trench about 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of Okinawa, the photographs show a gelatinous animal with two pairs of long, spindly tentacles -- one pair extended horizontally in front of its body and one pair stuck to the ocean floor, allowing the creature to float in place like a kite.

The creature's elongated body is 10 to 20 centimeters (4 to 8 inches) long and 5 to 8 centimeters (2 to 3 inches) wide. The rear tentacles measure 1.5 to 2.5 meters (5 to 8 feet) in length, while the forward-reaching tentacles, which float on the current and catch prey, measure between 1 and 1.5 meters (3 to 5 feet) in length. The animal's gastrovascular system, which circulates nutrients through the body, appears whitish in color.

JAMSTEC filmed the gelatinous animal in April 2002, and subsequent research has led the researchers to conclude it is very likely a new species. However, they are unable to say for certain until they capture an actual specimen.

[Source: Asahi, JAMSTEC press release, photos]

Tucker videos

12 Jun 2007

Via YouTube comes some inspiring musical magic by Tucker, Tokyo's favorite turntable spinning, guitar and bass looping, oil can thumping, toy tweaking, cassette tape scratching, pyromaniac Electone player.

Here's a small sampling of the many live clips found here (also check out a few cool videos for Sony here).


Tucker loops oil can/thumb piano/bass and scratches turntables


Tucker scratches the guitar


Tucker spins turntables, plays the Electone, sets it on fire

Video: Kansei robot fears war

07 Jun 2007

Kansei robot -- Kansei, a robot face capable of 36 expressions that vary according to emotional interpretations of words it hears, is the latest achievement to emerge from a Meiji University research lab working to develop conscious and self-aware robots. When Kansei hears a word, it uses software to access a database of 500,000 keywords, create word associations and determine an emotion -- ranging from happiness to sadness, anger and fear -- which is expressed by a system of 19 actuators under its silicone skin.

"What we are trying to do here is to create a flow of consciousness in robots so that they can make the relevant facial expressions," said project leader Junichi Takeno, a professor at Meiji University. "I believe that's going to be a key to improving communication between humans and robots."

Check out the video to see how Kansei reacts to the word "president."

Link: Reuters video

[Source: Yahoo!]

Giant geoglyph ad visible from space

06 Jun 2007

Smart Loop crop circle ad visible from space --

Next time you float past Hokkaido, look down upon the town of Urahoro. There in a field you will see a giant geoglyph that spells out the words "Smart Loop."

This crop circle message is the work of a highly advanced race of aliens Pioneer, which has taken shears to grass to promote its latest Smart Loop car navigation system. Pioneer spent a month working on the 1,000 x 200 meter (3,280 x 660 feet) ad, and has filed an application with Guinness to get it officially recognized as the world's longest (widest?) geoglyph.

While the geoglyph is certainly large, it faces some stiff competition from the likes of Marree Man in Australia, which measures 4.2 km from head to toe and is recognized as the world's largest manmade artwork, and the triangular Area 51 bombing target, which measures about 1 km per side.

Pioneer is now in the process of obtaining satellite photos of its crop circle message from 680 kilometers (420 miles) up. It is unclear whether the work will appear on Google Maps, but here is the location just in case.

[Source: Carview]

QR code on shrimp crackers

05 Jun 2007

QR Ebi-sen -- Internet content creator Hertz has launched a new marketing service called "QR Ebi-sen," which allows companies and individuals to print QR code on shrimp crackers. QR code, a type of two-dimensional code that enjoys widespread use in Japan, connects users to mobile web content when they scan it with a QR code reader-equipped cellphone.

Using natural dye extracted from tamarind seeds, the QR code is printed on the smooth surface of white crackers provided by ebi senbei manufacturer Shimahide, whose factory is located in the city of Kanonji in Kagawa prefecture -- a place known for delicious ebi senbei. The resulting cracker has a high-contrast, high-quality image readable by a cellphone QR code scanner.

The price for the service starts at 10,000 yen ($85), with an additional fee based on the number of crackers printed. Visitors to the NET Marketing Forum held at Tokyo Midtown from June 6 to 7 will get the first taste of QR Ebi-sen courtesy of the Web Technology Corporation, who will be handing them out from their company booth.

[Source: Impress Watch]

Giant jellyfish eyed as commercial mucin source

05 Jun 2007

Echizen kurage, Nomura's jellyfish -- In the latest development in Japan's war against giant jellyfish invaders, scientists studying the biochemistry of echizen kurage (Nomura's jellyfish) have discovered a previously unknown type of mucin in the sea creatures.

Mucins, the main structural components of mucus, are complex proteins found in human saliva, gastric juice and the lining of the stomach, all of which play a key role in the digestive process. The recently discovered jellyfish mucin, according to the researchers from the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) and science equipment manufacturer Shinwa Chemical Industries, can be put to use in a variety of pharmaceutical, medical, food and cosmetic products.

While the researchers have yet to release the details about the molecular structure of the jellyfish mucin, they claim it has a simple structure similar to a type of glycoprotein (organic molecule composed of protein and sugar chains) found in human digestive fluid, suggesting it could be used as a digestive supplement for elderly people with weak gastric juice. In addition, the researchers see potential uses for jellyfish mucin in products such as eyedrops, artificial saliva and surgical adhesives.

At least 12 types of mucins are known to exist in various locations in the human digestive tract, as well as in saliva and in the mammary glands. While mucins are also known to exist in animals and in some plants such as okra, lotus root and yams, only a few sources of the slimy substance have been tapped for large-scale commercial production.

To harvest the jellyfish, RIKEN says it is investigating the possibility of enlisting the help of Japan's fisheries to catch the giant echizen kurage, which can grow up to 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) in diameter and weigh up to 200 kg (440 lb) each. The group is also considering harvesting moon jellyfish, the culprits responsible for disrupting output at nuclear power plants last year after they clogged seawater coolant intake pipes.

Business negotiations are now underway between 20 organizations, including pharmaceutical companies, medical institutions and food and cosmetics manufacturers.

[Source: Fuji Sankei]

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