With Japan’s birth rate still worryingly low, the powers that be may not thank the Japan Science and Technology Agency for the unveiling its new humanoid robot last week.
An event that saw the organisation proudly showing off a 33-kilogramme effigy that can make facial expressions, react to its surroundings by blinking and stand up with assistance. Giving it a set of skills and abilities that its maker claims allows CB2 (Child-Robot with Biometric Body) to emulate the physical abilities of a 1- or 2-year-old toddler.
The only problem being that unlike the real thing, CB2 is neither comical nor cute – far from it in fact.
The not so little fella’s freakishly real – and at the same time not real – features quite possibly putting people off having kids forever.
Although that said, his (or indeed her) loving look up at its ‘father’ is possibly enough to melt even the coldest of hearts.
Perhaps.
Update: Very unsettling video reports.
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No, I agree. He’s not exactly cuddly!!
A robot like this can never replace a real child! Far from it!
Freaky…jus freaky…it reminds me of those old movies about the moving dolls except that was fake and this is real. It just freaks me out, I keep imagining a hundred of these everywhere…freaky
i’d much rather that child than a real one
at least it wont have to worry about global warming
and
it’ll be able to charge up your electric car for you
Imaging waking up and finding thirty of these things standing around in your bedroom, staring at you. I think I’d have a heart attack and die right there.
It’s a HOAX, people. When it’s laying down, it’s a cable-controlled robot. When it’s standing up and walking IT’S A KID IN A SUIT.
Notice they ONLY give you video of it on a table, prone, or sitting up…NOT WALKING. Only a still is provided of it walking.
The silicone suit it wears is *just what you would fashion to fit a human*…and too heavy to put on an actual robot.
HOOOOOOOOOOOOAX!
Imagine this technology on my realdoll, 2011, can’t wait.
I applaud the Japanese for their work in advanced robotics, no matter how aesthetically unpleasing.
Much like the most sophistocated airplanes or automobiles in the early part of the 20th century that looked and performed far below even the average counterpart of today…
by the end of the 21st century, robots will not only look and act human, they will be doing things far ahead of average human capabilities.
I am glad Japan is endevoring in this work, and that they are a good friend of US.
When will they make a porn star robot that gives good hummers?
I would buy that.
Way over rated – not very good really. The I-Robot characters were a lot more convincing.
This Is Real Good News!!
Now Pedofiles have something to play with
!!
Wow! They’ve really done a great job in creating a simulation of a raver at a London club, high on Ecstasy! That is incredible.
There has got to be a kid or small adult inside that suit. There is absolutely no way that is all done with robotics. NO way.
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Nice job!
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lol, next generation sex dolls … but not as babies …
How terrifying! It looks like the bastard spawn of Bibendum, the Michelin Man.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelin
So is there some sort of self learning AI? Is that the point? To see if a robot program given certain restraints, might develop to a certain level?
Or differently?
Or is it all programmed? In which case maybe it is just a larger prototype for a betsy wetsy type doll, that might recognize its owner.
Doctor Frankenstein worked large to keep it easier to check under the hood.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks this is completely fake. It looks like a person in a costume. It acts like a person in a costume. I bet it even smells like a person in a costume.
It would be more disturbing if it weren’t so stupid.
When you change it’s diaper, is it full of nuts, bolts, wires, and diodes?
KILL IT! KILL IT NOW!
Well for the creapy part it’s maybe time to develope some consumer EMP’s.
On the other hand I prefer seeing people spend money on project like these than spending money on wapons and war.
Just my 2 cents
Well for the creapy part it’s maybe time to devlope some consumer EMP’s.
On the other hand I prefer seeing people spend money on project like these than spending money on wapons and war.
Just my 2 cents
It’s just a poorly designed animatronic puppet. The thing has a great big cable coming out of its back.
What’s with this seeming Japanese cultural preference for the synthetic over the actual? There already *are* children — and some of us don’t find them particularly charming.
In terms of lifelikeness, this thing seems severely learning-disabled; I’m not sure what function its rolling about on a table and pointless baby vocalisations serve. I certainly wouldn’t count that as “company”.
If anything, this rubber golem makes me realise how cool dogs are.
jesus people. if you don’t understand anything about robotics, shut the hell up. YES, it has cables coming out of its back– because we don’t have power systems small enough to fit inside a self-contained robot, so the power plant has to be elsewhere on the other end of the umbilicus.
And to the “HOOOOOAAAAAX” guy– you’re just onemore of the massive cavalcade of people on the internet who think they know more than they really do.
creepy, i dont have words, its just creeepy!
To all those who think it’s a person-in-a-suit hoax: If I were going to perpetrate such a hoax, I would certainly have it do something a bit more impressive than flail about uselessly, move its head and eyes side to side and… quack.
To all those who think it’s a person-in-a-suit hoax: If I were going to perpetrate such a hoax, I would certainly have it do something a bit more amazing than flail about uselessly, move its head and eyes side to side and… quack.
But I guess as a prototype, it is mildly impressive in the smoothness of its motion and its reaction to stimuli…. as ineffectual and pointless as those reactions may be at this point.
I actually found it way less disturbing than this headless robot quadruped.
At least his diaper does not smell!!
I like it!
They should make his eyes more friendly.
I also would like to see more AI instead of animatronics.
SkyNET Skin Job – spooky
It looks like they are experimenting with artificial intelligence based on the idea that for an ‘artificial brain’ in order to learn, it should experience the outside word the same way a child would. ?
Just a thought.
this reminds me of “Rubber Johnny” by Chris Cunningham
“63mikeg
It looks like they are experimenting with artificial intelligence based on the idea that for an ‘artificial brain’ in order to learn, it should experience the outside word the same way a child would. ?
Just a thought.”
Bingo! Great thought!
An A.I. can’t think like a human without a body that gives it the ability to learn like a human. It needs the same types of inputs. ^_^
Freaky two fingered hands!
That’s just an abomination and a waste of money and genious. A person who needs an animatronic monster-doll to pose as an adopted son is a person with serious personal issues or maybe mental illnesses.
That sort of technology could be used to make androids to make humans life easier but not as emotional simulators. Did anyone though what a pedophile could make with that thing????.
Thats serious shit.
ese robot se parece a mi hermano….
ess un asco
Dumb Cowboy! Why decussate give a human face? What do think? Each, human cattle, especially the Japanese just kills me. Do you have a miracle of nature, Zen, and you are garbage
It’s not a hoax, you idiot. It doesn’t walk, they don’t even CLAIM that it walks. It can’t even really stand up on its own, the guy has to help it. I really can’t understand most people’s responses to this. Why does it freak you out so much?
It’s not a hoax, you idiot. It doesn’t walk, they don’t even CLAIM that it walks. It can’t even really stand up on its own, the guy has to help it. I really can’t understand most people’s responses to this. Why does it freak you out so much? Also, to the moron who said it was an abomination: they didn’t built it to act as anyone’s adopted son. Why don’t you try reading the news article? They built it to help study child development. F*&ing idiots.
The Autons are here!
Take cover!
I just love the classics!
I don’t think hes quite in the ‘uncanny valley’ – more like a large doll?