Japanese Female Android (RAR!)

Lord Zentei · Post by **Lord Zentei** » 2005-07-28 08:29am

BBC wrote: Japanese develop 'female' android

By David Whitehouse
Science editor, BBC News website

Japanese scientists have unveiled the most human-looking robot yet devised - a "female" android called Repliee Q1.

She has flexible silicone for skin rather than hard plastic, and a number of sensors and motors to allow her to turn and react in a human-like manner.

She can flutter her eyelids and move her hands like a human. She even appears to breathe.

Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University says one day robots could fool us into believing they are human.

Repliee Q1 is not like any robot you will have seen before, at least outside of science-fiction movies.

She is designed to look human and although she can only sit at present, she has 31 actuators in her upper body, powered by a nearby air compressor, programmed to allow her to move like a human.

We have found that people forget she is an android while interacting with her
Prof Hiroshi Ishiguro
"I have developed many robots before," Repliee Q1's designer, Professor Ishiguro, told the BBC News website, "but I soon realised the importance of its appearance. A human-like appearance gives a robot a strong feeling of presence."

Designed to look human

Before Repliee Q1, Professor Ishiguro developed Repliee R1 which had the appearance of a five-year-old Japanese girl.

Its head could move in nine directions and it could gesture with its arm. Four high-sensitivity tactile sensors were placed under the skin of its left arm that made the android react differently to differing pressures.

The follow-up has the appearance of a Japanese woman. To program her motion, a computer analysed the motions of a human and used them as a template for the way Repliee Q1 moves.

She can be designed to follow the movement of a human wearing motion sensors or to act independently.

"Repliee Q1 can interact with people. It can respond to people touching it. It's very satisfying, although we obviously have a long way to go yet."

Professor Ishiguro believes that it may prove possible to build an android that could pass for a human, if only for a brief period.

"An android could get away with it for a short time, 5-10 seconds. However, if we carefully select the situation, we could extend that, to perhaps 10 minutes," he said.

"More importantly, we have found that people forget she is an android while interacting with her. Consciously, it is easy to see that she is an android, but unconsciously, we react to the android as if she were a woman."

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-07-28 08:36am

Pretty amazing. "She" looks disturbingly lifelike.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2005-07-28 09:08am

Wow, that robot looks pretty damn real.

Pretty nice advance in robotics.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-07-28 09:24am

Gil Hamilton wrote:Wow, that robot looks pretty damn real. Pretty nice advance in robotics.

as much as I hate to disrupt a SLAM thread with this, I have to ask the question everyone that is undoubtably on everyone's mind. Is she "fully fucntional".?

Archaic` · Post by **Archaic`** » 2005-07-28 09:33am

It would not appear so. No Persocons yet I'm afraid.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2005-07-28 09:56am

OMG teh Cylons!!11

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-07-28 10:07am

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Gil Hamilton wrote:Wow, that robot looks pretty damn real. Pretty nice advance in robotics.
as much as I hate to disrupt a SLAM thread with this, I have to ask the question everyone that is undoubtably on everyone's mind. Is she "fully fucntional".?

No, it doesn't appear that she can cook yet ....

/rimshot

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2005-07-28 10:16am

*scratches head* Didn't someone post this a couple weeks ago?

That NOS Guy · Post by **That NOS Guy** » 2005-07-28 10:18am

Chmee wrote: No, it doesn't appear that she can cook yet ....

/rimshot

Boooooo

I dunno, call me cynical but this doesn't seem like that great of a leap for me. Sure it looks lifelike, but does it feel (perverts -.-;) lifelike. Can it give you a good conversation?

Really, IMHO it doesn't represent anything more then the next generation of anamatronic terror-inducers from the "It's a Small World".

Lord Zentei · Post by **Lord Zentei** » 2005-07-28 10:43am

General Zod wrote:*scratches head* Didn't someone post this a couple weeks ago?

Doubtful... unless they had access to a time machine. Check the date:

The Date wrote:Last Updated: Wednesday, 27 July, 2005, 09:10 GMT 10:10 UK

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2005-07-28 10:45am

Lord Zentei wrote:
General Zod wrote:*scratches head* Didn't someone post this a couple weeks ago?
Doubtful... unless they had access to a time machine. Check the date:

Yep, found it. Clicky

Solauren · Post by **Solauren** » 2005-07-28 10:46am

Why do I picture this "robo-chick's" (and no, I am not referreing to the 80's porn movie of the same name) 'little brother' knocking on the door of a woman in Los Angelos and going

"Sara Connor?"

Lord Zentei · Post by **Lord Zentei** » 2005-07-28 10:51am

General Zod wrote:
Lord Zentei wrote:
General Zod wrote:*scratches head* Didn't someone post this a couple weeks ago?
Doubtful... unless they had access to a time machine. Check the date:
Yep, found it. Clicky

Well, curses. I would have thought that BBC were more up to date with their articles. (grumble mumble)

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-07-28 11:59am

That NOS Guy wrote:
Chmee wrote: No, it doesn't appear that she can cook yet ....

/rimshot
Boooooo

I dunno, call me cynical but this doesn't seem like that great of a leap for me. Sure it looks lifelike, but does it feel (perverts -.-;) lifelike. Can it give you a good conversation?

Maybe not, but their next android BukkakeBot 6000 with Super Schoolgirl Upskirt Action is sure to be a hit. Did I mention how much i love the Japanese?

That NOS Guy · Post by **That NOS Guy** » 2005-07-28 12:38pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:
Maybe not, but their next android BukkakeBot 6000 with Super Schoolgirl Upskirt Action is sure to be a hit. Did I mention how much i love the Japanese?

Ah, a man of specific taste

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-07-28 12:41pm

The level of detail was more reminiscent of Kim Cattrall in 'Mannequin' than anything Blade Runner-ish ....

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2005-07-28 01:21pm

Aside from providing those who can't get dates with an interactive sex toy (or whatever), why in the fuck do we need a human-like robot with pliant fake skin?

The time, energy, and resourcefulness spent on trying to get it to flutter it's fucking "eyelids" and looking like a person could have been better spent on producing something that looks like a machine but could actually prove helpful...

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-07-28 01:23pm

Frank Hipper wrote:Aside from providing those who can't get dates with an interactive sex toy (or whatever), why in the fuck do we need a human-like robot with pliant fake skin?

The time, energy, and resourcefulness spent on trying to get it to flutter it's fucking "eyelids" and looking like a person could have been better spent on producing something that looks like a machine but could actually prove helpful...

That seems like a Marketing issue ... I think the manufacturers of home-use robots believe that a large part of their target audience will be much more likely to buy a robot that doesn't seem too alien, so the human appearance matters to them .... that and the sex, of course.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2005-07-28 01:30pm

Chmee wrote:
Frank Hipper wrote:Aside from providing those who can't get dates with an interactive sex toy (or whatever), why in the fuck do we need a human-like robot with pliant fake skin?

The time, energy, and resourcefulness spent on trying to get it to flutter it's fucking "eyelids" and looking like a person could have been better spent on producing something that looks like a machine but could actually prove helpful...
That seems like a Marketing issue ... I think the manufacturers of home-use robots believe that a large part of their target audience will be much more likely to buy a robot that doesn't seem too alien, so the human appearance matters to them .... that and the sex, of course.

I'd rather have a wheeled, multi-armed machine to turn on the dishwasher than a zombie-like horror, personally.

Pcm979 · Post by **Pcm979** » 2005-07-28 01:41pm

IMO, this is more of a technical demonstration than an actual product; "Look what we can build!" to get more money from investors. Tactile sensors, realistic skin, full range of motion... Realistic prosthetics are one step closer. The sad fact is that people are more likely to read an article about robot sex-dolls/maids than advancements in medical technology.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-07-28 01:44pm

Frank Hipper wrote:I'd rather have a wheeled, multi-armed machine to turn on the dishwasher than a zombie-like horror, personally.

You & me both, but somehow I don't think we're their 'mass market' ... we're the early adopters, though, and I don't care if it looks like Cthulu if it picks up dogshit and dusts the blinds ....

wolveraptor · Post by **wolveraptor** » 2005-07-28 06:28pm

The mouth still appears to be the fakest part. Lip movement must be incredibly hard to immitate. Ironically, that's the most important part of looking human.

InnocentBystander · Post by **InnocentBystander** » 2005-07-29 12:17am

Maybe it's me, but I'd say that Repliee Q1 is a little too close to the Uncanny Valley.

Erik von Nein · Post by **Erik von Nein** » 2005-07-29 03:59am

That's incredibly freaky. Then, again, this is coming from Japan, the land that also brought us such advances as the girl lap pillow and boyfriend arm.

General Brock · Post by **General Brock** » 2005-07-29 04:56am

Just what Japan needs to deal with a declining birth rate and aging population; more distractions from real m-f relationships.