Japan Unveils Robot Fashion Model

The Japanese have always been at the forefront of technological advancement, so it should really come as no surprise to anyone that they have unveiled a humanoid robot fashion model.

Named HRP-4C and decked out in silver and black metallic accouterments, this walking, talking, facial expression-producing robot was created to strut her stuff on the catwalks of Japan. She clocks in at 158 centimeters tall and, mimicking the weight of real supermodels, weighs in at only 43 kilograms.

According to one of her creators, Shuji Kajita of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, her appearance is inspired by the anime subculture, as creating a robot that looked too human would have been “uncanny.” And terrifying. Very, very terrifying.

Appearing before journalists and television crews eager to get a glimpse of our future robot overlords, HRP-4C responded to commands sent by the crowd via wireless bluetooth devices. Utilizing all 42 motion sensors in her tiny metallic body, she flirted, flashed smiles, and posed for the adoring crowd.

The success of the unveiling was marred only by the robot’s tendency to confuse facial expressions, a flaw contributed by her creators to the sound of the many cameras going off at once interfering with her sound recognition sensors. She was probably just angered by the man in the back taking a photograph of her backside.

Research and development for the robot cost an estimated three million dollars (200 million yen), and she made her catwalk debut on March 23rd of this year at Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo.

(link 1 2 3)

By bmchargue on 14-08-2009