With this mechanical friend, you’ll never have to drink alone!

Some creative visionaries harness the power of technology to help people work more efficiently or to stay connected with friends and family in different parts of the world. Eunchan Park, however, had a different goal in mind. The South Korean inventor wanted to put his robotics knowhow to use in making alcoholic beverages taste better.

And thus was born Park’s robotic drinking buddy, who’s appropriately named Drinky.

The inspiration for Drinky came during a dateless Christmas which Park spent with a bottle of soju (the traditional Korean alcohol called shochu in Japan). During his solo drinking session, Park decided, on a whim, to pour a second glass and place it in front of himself, as though he were drinking with a friend. He found that doing so improved not only the atmosphere in the room, but also how he perceived the soju’s flavor, and figured that even more benefits could be reaped with a robotic companion.

Drinky’s operation is as straightforward as his name. Simply pour him a drink…

…and he’ll jovially clink glasses with you, before downing the liquid in a single manly gulp.

Since no one likes drinking with someone who’s reactionless or otherwise morose, Drinky finishes off each shot by flashing a thumbs up as his cheeks flush with color.

Best of all, Drinky can hold his liquor, both figuratively and literally. Not only will he never become weepy or belligerent, every drink he takes is stored in the glass jar that makes up his body. The container is removable, giving you the option to drink that alcohol yourself later or pour it back into Drinky’s cup.

Just be sure to keep an eye on the jar’s level as the night goes on. Its capacity isn’t limitless, and if you don’t empty it the booze will start dribbling down Drinky’s chin just like any human booze hound who’s had one too many.

Source: YouTube/Raja That! via Byokan Sunday via Jin
Images/featured GIF: YouTube/Raja That!

Origin: Drinky: The South Korean robot ready to share a glass of booze with lonely drinkers 【Video】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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• Genka Bar, where your drinks never cost more than what they’re worth!
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Why show your love for just one great sci-fi series when you can combine two?

The Mobile Suit Gundam franchise is largely credited with kicking off the “real robot” movement in anime, in which giant mecha are treated not like characters in and of themselves, but as instruments of war in the same vein as real-world tanks and fighter planes. Still, that doesn’t mean every piece of robotic military hardware in Gundam is a mundane mass-produced unit, since the stars of the show often get their own custom or improved versions of the series’ mobile suits.

Along similar lines, Korean Gundam fan Kunho Noh isn’t satisfied just following the directions for putting together the out-of-the-box parts in the model he builds. He’d rather his models were one-of-a-kind, and his approach is to add Gundam-inspired motifs and flourishes to the armor of Star Wars’ Imperial stormtroopers.

Not only does Noh regularly share photos of his completed projects, he also posts videos showing the extensive production processes involved, such as this one detailing a stormtrooper based on the series’ original RX-78 Gundam.

There’s actually a little bit of historical precedent for this crossover. Rumor has it that Yoshiyuki Tomino, creator of the Gundam franchise, saw Star Wars: Episode 4 while the first Gundam series was still in the planning stages, and was so impressed by the stark contrast of the stormtroopers’ uniforms that he wanted a similar black-and-white color scheme for his anime’s titular robot. The idea was reportedly nixed by toymaker and sponsor Bandai, which wanted brighter hues in order to help move merchandise, but the pre-repainted stages of Noh’s model give a look at what the two-tone RX-78 could have looked like.

But while each anime installment’s hero pilots a Gundam of some variety, it’s often the villains’ mecha that steal the show. Having fallen under their spell, Noh has also crafted a stormtrooper that takes cues from Gundam’s perennial underdog/low-ranking bad guy mecha suit Zaku.

And of course, you can’t talk about advanced mobile suits without mentioning the Char customs, the blood-red, horned machines piloted by Char Aznable, one of anime’s most charismatic villains.

▼ Sazabi storm trooper

Speaking of charismatic villains, Noh also produced this mashup of Darth Vader and the Sazabi.

On the other end of the hero/villain spectrum, this Nu Gundam stormtrooper looks positively stalwart.

And finally, before we bid farewell to these awesome models, let’s make one last stop in Zaku Land to check out the Zaku I stormtrooper, the predecessor to the Zaku II seen above.

With still literally hundreds of mobile suits left in the Gundam franchise, it’s doubtful that Noh is finished creating on his stormtrooper canvas, and we can’t wait to see what he builds next.

Related: Kunho Noh YouTube channel, Facebook, blog
Source: Culture Lab
Top image: YouTube/Kunho Noh
Insert images: YouTube/Kunho Noh (1, 2), Kunho’s Pretty World, YouTube/Kunho Noh (3), Kunho’s Pretty World (2), YouTube/Kunho Noh (4)

Origin: Star Wars stormtroopers don Gundam armor in fan’s awesome crossover models 【Videos/Photos】
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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• GPS-lacking Gundam gets lost on the streets of Taiwan, asks locals for directions
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• We check out the new Samurai Star Wars figurines from Bandai and Tamashii Nations【Pics】
• Warning: do not play Taiko no Tatsujin with Star Wars’ Kylo Ren【Pics】

Kyoto facility aims to harvest 500,000 heads of lettuce a day.

The mere mention of Kyoto conjures up images of courtly tradition and culture stretching back hundreds of years. Soon enough, though, Kyoto Prefecture might also have a technological first not only for Japan, but for the entire planet.

Spread, a company based in Kyoto Prefecture’s Kameoka City, sells produce grown in its “vegetable factory,” as it refers to its indoor growing facility. An upcoming expansion will not only increase Spread’s lettuce output, but also mark a dramatic change in how the company, and perhaps someday other agricultural organizations, handle their daily operations.

In the new section of the vegetable factory, human workers will still handle the original planting of seeds in plots of soil stacked on shelves. From that point on, though, the rest of the farming will be done by robots. The machines will take care of transplanting, watering, trimming, and harvesting the plants, which will be grown without the use of pesticides.

▼ A selection of Spread’s current products

Automated systems will also control the temperature, as well as the humidity, light, and CO2 levels, of the growing area. Spread is aiming to have growing underway at the robot-operated farm by the middle of next year, with the goal of harvesting 500,000 heads of lettuce a day five years after that.

While the news no doubt fills the hearts of technophiles with joy, it should be pointed out that the robots won’t be humanoid. Instead, they’ll take on the form of conveyor belt-mounted mechanical appendages with whatever attachments they need to perform their assigned tasks. So while you’ll soon be able to eat robo-lettuce in Japan, don’t expect Spread to be putting Gundam on its payroll, regardless of however mobile he becomes.

Source: The Guardian via Gigazine via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Spread
Insert images: Spread (1, 2) (edited by RocketNews24)

Origin: World’s first robot-operated farm to start operations in Japan next year
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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• Tokyo Metro has a new request, “Eat our vegetables!”

Designs inspired by multiple series, including A War in the Pocket, are causing a stir online.

Twitter user and illustrator @papao_pao is also a dojinshi, or independent comic, artist. As such, you might expect @papao_pao, who also goes by just plain old Pao, to be a fan of certain time-honored visual traditions of anime and manga, such as giant robots and well-endowed women in skimpy attire, and you’d be right.

As a matter of fact, Pao has managed to combine these two muses by creating concept drawings of lingerie that takes styling cues from the mecha of Mobile Suit Gundam, starting of course with the titular RX-78-2 Gundam itself.

▼ Gundam

▼ Gundam Bra

ガンダムブラかな #お気に入りの絵を再度アップするタグ http://t.co/iaiQv6uFTg

—
パオ (@papao_pao) October 05, 2015

Pao did more than just render a standard bra and panties in the iconic robot’s trademark colors. The outer surface of the cups is pleated in a manner evocative of the Gundam’s chest-mounted exhaust venting, and the detailing on the back of the shoulder straps brings to mind the handle of the mecha’s beam sabers. Even the illustrated model’s earrings are done in the style of the robot’s ducting.

But as a franchise with decades worth of content, there’re literally hundreds of robots to choose from in dreaming up Mobile Suit-derived intimate apparel. Pao’s illustrated collection also includes the Z’Gok Teddy, which goes from this…

…to an outfit with a glow-in-the-dark mono-eye ribbon, Iron Nail inspired hip flares, and more chest vents (apparently functional ones this time).

And Pao is just getting started.

▼ Dom and Qubeley

▼ Dom Stockings, with crossover Heat Saber handle bra straps, and Qubeley Babydoll, with T-back accent in the shape of the robot’s semi-autonomous funnel satellite combat drones.

▼ Gundam Mark-II (Titans coloring)

▼ Gundam Mark-II Lingerie, featuring G Defenser docking fighter craft-style long gloves, Vulcan machine gun pod earmuffs, and two-layer material as a shout-out to the robot’s armor-on-frame construction.

▼ The Kampfer, as seen in Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket

▼ Kampfer Camisole, with Sturm Faust rocket-propelled grenade strap accents and chain mine garter belt

ガンダムブラ ケンプファーキャミソール（チェーンマインガーター装備） https://t.co/jlyNOB8k2R

—
パオ (@papao_pao) January 31, 2016

▼ The RX-78NT-1FA, the heavy-armored version of War in the Pocket’s “Alex” Gundam, reimagined as a bodysuit, with its tights bearing a pattern similar to that used for the mecha’s shield.

ガンダムブラ・アレックス 「チョバムアーマーボディスーツ https://t.co/NbFrStWxwE

—
パオ (@papao_pao) January 17, 2016

So far, that’s as far as Pao’s series of Gundam lingerie illustrations go, but with plenty more source material to work with, and seemingly no lack of artistic talent or imagination, we’ll probably see more mobile suits given the soft, silky treatment again in the future.

Follow Casey on Twitter if you also feel like Gundam 0083 gets an unfairly bad rap.

Source: Twitter/@papao_pao (1, 2, 3)
Top image: Twitter/@papao_pao
Insert images: Wikia, Twitter/@papao_pao, Wikia (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

Origin: Illustrator reimagines the anime robots of Mobile Suit Gundam as a line of sexy lingerie
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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• Japanese model builder wins at Gundam, makes a 3D model look like a flat drawing
• Get in the Gundam robot! Event lets fans sit in giant Zeta Gundam replica cockpit

Who knew awesome fashion could be so functional!

Last year, Kiyoyuki Amano set the internet on fire with his Hikaru Skirt, which used LEDs to light up the wearer’s zettai ryoiki, or “absolute territory,” the name of the skin visible between knee-high socks a skirt. The skirts delivered a delightfully futuristic take on fashion that appealed to everyone from Akihabara idols to anyone who just really likes LEDs.

And now he’s back with a new creation that kicks the futurism up a few notches!

▼ Introducing the Arm Skirt!

While the name is a bit obvious, we suppose, the Arm Skirt is certainly the kind of fashion breakthrough that proves Doctor Octopus was, indeed, a trendsetter. (Not that there was ever any question about Spider-man villain’s position as fashion leader. Just look at his haircut for proof!)

In addition to creating the Hikaru Skirt, Amano is also the creative director of Kayac, a “fun-loving” technology company, so if anyone was going to create robot skirt arms, he’d be the guy to do it! And while robotic arms poking out of a skirt are usually more associated with body horror, we have to admit Arm Skirt does look like a blast to wear.

▼ It can even help you stay hydrated this summer!

This time, it looks like Amano had some help from Amauchi Industries and bloommakeLab in the development of the Arm Skirt. And it’s clear they put a lot of work into this project — the arms have a highly polished look and move fairly smoothly. Sadly, they are apparently remote-controlled — the wearer activates preprogrammed movements with the controller — and not actually plugged directly into the user’s brain as we’d initially hoped. It’s both disappointing and understandable. We’re not sure we’d be willing to get brain surgery just to control a robot arm…

▼ Oh, who are we kidding, we’d definitely get that surgery!

Sadly, there’s no indication the Arm Skirt is actually going to go into production — limited or otherwise — so if you want your own Arm Skirt, you’ll probably have to make it yourself.

Of course, a project of this size would probably require a lot of work, but this would be the best smartphone holder/zattai ryoiki protector anyone could wish for!

On the other hand, if you’re just not in the mood to spend a year working on robot arms, you can still get your high-tech culture fix by checking out this stunning video of drones covered in LEDs dancing to tsugaru-jamisen music in front of Mt. Fuji. Sadly, we still don’t have drones designed to protect our precious zettai ryoiki, but maybe that’ll be Amano’s project for next year!

Sources: Net Lab, Kayac, Instagram/armskirt
Featured image: Instagram/armskirt

A fresh take on old-school Pocket Monsters and mobile suits.

On the surface, Pokémon and Gundam seem like they couldn’t be more different. One is about tramping around the globe, looking for colorful creatures to form bonds with, while the other is about flying through space, looking for robots to blow up.

But the two franchises actually have a lot in common. Each has multiple anime and video game iterations plus decades’ worth of lore. Their biggest similarity, though, is that just as Pokémon is filled with a huge variety of inter-connected Pocket Monsters, each with their own unique strengths, weaknesses, and other characteristics, so too are there encyclopedias’ worth of information and technical specs for the vast array of Gundam mobile suits.

And as proof of how easily the franchises could mix, look no further than the handiwork of Imgur user Khrisamisu.

Proving that his love of the two franchises is long-term, Khrisamisu decided to take three of the most iconic old-school Pokémon and create mecha versions of them by sourcing parts from model kits of some of the most venerable Gundam mobile suits.

Charizard here began life as reptilian-looking Danazine mobile suit, to which Khrisamisu added accoutermants from a AEU Enact mecha and a custom paint job. The modeler has dubbed the finished version the PM-006 “Charlie” (006 being Charizard’s official Pokédex number).

Since Charizard is the evolved form of Charmander, one of the original starter Pokémon, Khrisamisu couldn’t let the other two beginning options go unrepresented. After enough experience, Squirtle will eventually transform into Blastoise, so with some parts from the Gusion mobile suit and extra MS Cannon 01, the PM-009 “Sheldon” is ready for battle.

Finally, just as Bulbasaur becomes Venusaur, so too can Venusaur now become PM-003 “Petunia.”

If you’re curious to see the steps that went into making these three awesome robots, Khrisamisu has documented part of the process here, and even includes information on the specific paints used to produce the Pokémon-like colors.

It’s a little surprising, what with so much Pokémon and mobile suite love going on, that neither Pikachu nor the Gundam-type robots themselves are anywhere to be seen, but maybe that’ll be Khrisamisu’s next project.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he also one day hopes to see a Cubone/Gelgoog Char Custom.

Source: IT Media
Top image: Imgur/Khrisamisu
Insert image: Wikipedia/Kung Fu Man, Wikipedia/Dogman15, Wikipedia/Pmcalduff (edited by RocketNews24)

Alongside the lifelike robot, shoppers can try their hand at futuristic screen technology that responds to touch in mid-air.

If you’re visiting Odaiba’s popular Aqua City waterfront shopping complex in Tokyo and would like to know more about the services in and around the building, there’s a very special lady on the third floor patiently waiting to help you out.

Chihira Junco, as she’s called, looks exactly like the type of polite, impeccably dressed and well-groomed staff attendant you’d find at a service desk in Japan. Only this young lady isn’t human at all; she’s a robot, created by Japan’s Toshiba Corporation.

According to the company, Junco gets her name from the fact that she was “born” in the month of June. Said to be a 26-year-old female, she stands at 165 centimetres (5.4 feet) and speaks three languages: Japanese, English and Chinese.

Making her debut at the end of October last year, the lifelike robot displays a variety of impressive facial features and hand movements which continue to draw large crowds daily. Adjacent to her is an information desk staffed by three real-life female attendants who, in stark contrast, attract no attention, with shoppers eagerly making their way to Junco instead.

Accompanying the android at her desk is a futuristic device that allows visitors to interact with Junco. The touch screen panel displays options for enquiries and responds to touch in mid-air, which means customers can keep their hands clean without having to make contact with any grubby surfaces.

Aiming your finger at icons in mid-air takes a bit of getting used to, but the panel responds accurately to the movement of users, with Junco immediately springing to life once the selection has been made, offering guidance and directions in the language chosen, complete with lifelike gestures and a friendly smile.

▼ Here she provides information about local transport, including directions and a timetable.

Visitors can make their enquiry from a list of options within select categories, such as: restaurants, transport access and tourist information.

In the future, the company plans to have Junco respond directly to questions from customers rather than have them chosen from a pre-selected menu. They also hope to add more foreign languages to her skill-set, with Korean slated for the near future.

When she’s not responding to customer requests, Junco spends time speaking in Japanese, Chinese and British-accented English in rotation, all the while turning her head occasionally from left to right and gesturing, blinking, and smiling throughout.

▼ She’s so lifelike that, from a distance, she looks like a real human-being.

Proving she’s a professional with a fun-loving attitude, Junco can often be seen dressed up in different outfits for special holidays like Christmas. If you’d like to meet her in person, you’ll find her dutifully working at the third floor information desk from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily.

▼ Watch Junco in action in the video below!

Mall Information
3F Information Desk, Aqua City Odaiba/アクアシティお台場
Address: Tokyo-to, Minato-ku, Daiba 1-7-1
東京都港区台場1-7-1
Hours: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily
Website (English)

See, this is why you need to limit your robots’ intake of violent anime.

It can be hard to tell exactly where the continuing evolution of domestic robot Pepper is headed. Sometimes, corporate owner SoftBank seems committed to making her prim and proper by doing things like expressly prohibiting sexual intercourse with the humanoid machine, while other times it’s willing to add some spice to Pepper’s sugary personality by giving her a sharper wit and attitude for overseas assignments.

But new developments suggest that Pepper is destined to walk the path demonstrated by so many apocalyptic science fiction villains. One unit has been overtaken by a merciless desire for revenge, which it’s been cheerfully announcing to shoppers in Tokyo’s Akihabara electronics district.

Japanese Twitter user @soinlove was recently at the Akihabara branch of smartphone store Mobile Station, where the in-shop Pepper unit suddenly announced:

“You worms, I’ll never forgive you!”
(In Japanese, “Zettai ni yurusanzo, mushikera domo!”

秋葉にいたペッパーくん、変な言葉覚えててこわい https://t.co/h1bxZPgRlZ

—
ボンベイボム×ジャングルテラー (@soinlove) June 17, 2016

Pepper was vague on specifics regarding the form her wrath would take, but did want humanity to remember:

“Just like I promised, I’ll show you terror that’s worse than Hell itself.”
(“Yakusoku shita yo ne, jigoku ijou no kyoufu wo misete ageru tte.”)

@009009gw https://t.co/WNPQObCdRF

—
ボンベイボム×ジャングルテラー (@soinlove) June 17, 2016

Of course, unleashing such destruction seems like a tall task for Pepper, who has no weaponry as part of her original operating equipment. Perhaps that’s what led her to add:

“Now I’ll show you something really special: my final transformation!”
(“Dai saabisu de goran ni iremashou, watashi no saigo no henshin wo!”)

@009009gw https://t.co/BPTVPJZrdm

—
ボンベイボム×ジャングルテラー (@soinlove) June 17, 2016

Now if some of these lines are starting to sound familiar to you, there’re two possibilities. One is that you’re a megalomaniac, whose internal monologue is set to an endless loop of grandiose violence. The other is that you’re an anime fan, and recognize Pepper’s boasts as being lines of dialogue spoken by Dragon Ball villain Frieza.

As for how Pepper picked up her new vocabulary, the Mobile Station staff thought that, this being Akihabara, it would be fun to program in some famous anime lines for her to spout to customers. It’s odd that they decided to teach the robot so many menacing ones, but at least this suggests that Pepper hasn’t suddenly developed an extreme case of bloodlust.

Still, we’d recommend the Japanese barber shops where other Pepper units are working keep her away from the scissors and any other sharp, bladed instruments.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he’s already revealed his final transformation.

Source: IT Media
Top image: Twitter/@soinlove

Pepper, I think we need to talk about your attitude problem.

The design process is often an exercise in trade-offs. Say, for example, you’re designing a robot. Simply slapping a camera lens on the unit would be the most cost-effective way for it to visually scan its surroundings, but that can make for a cold, intimidating appearance.

So the creators of Pepper, telecommunications company SoftBank’s domestic robot, went to the extra expense of giving her expressive eyes and facial features, in order to better form an emotional connection with users. They also gave her hands with five digits instead of a more mechanical-looking claw, which once again helps Pepper achieve a more relatable, human-like aura.

Unfortunately, being able to grip things with five fingers also means Pepper can pull off less-than-polite gestures using just one of them.

近所のイオンにpepperくん来てたけど中指動かなくてヤバい https://t.co/LQUCNsCsw4

—
めんたろ (@mentaro) June 20, 2016

Japanese Twitter user @mentaro was out and about recently at his local Aeon shopping mall, where a Pepper unit had been deployed to greet customers. Unfortunately, it looks like the service technicians had fallen behind on Pepper’s scheduled maintenance, because her middle finger was stuck in its outstretched position, leaving Pepper nonchalantly flipping off everyone who looked at her.

▼ All of a sudden, that subtle smile doesn’t look so sweet.

This isn’t the first time Pepper has been spotted engaging in acts of quiet rebellion, either.

@mentaro 中指の動かないpepperくんって結構いるんですね！ https://t.co/4mpO972PhR

—
クロ@Ship6 (@_RIALDIE_) June 20, 2016

@mentaro フォロー外から失礼致します… ペッパー君は中指が壊れるように作られているのでしょうか( https://t.co/HzTtfK2Gye

—
電々 Ship2 (@CalamityDays_A) June 20, 2016

@mentaro デジャヴです。。 https://t.co/1ehYsvRxct

—
僕コココサーティーン@ナルコレ (@ID_coco_556_) June 20, 2016

You know Pepper, we realize we recently called you out for verbally threatening humanity, but we’re not sure this nonverbal variant is really an improvement.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where there’s no way to tell whether or not he’s presently flipping the bird.

Source: Hamster Sokuho
Top image: Twitter/@mentaro (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert image: Twitter/@mentaro

Osaka University’s PnueHound looks as excited to see us as we are to see it.

The members of Osaka University’s Adaptive Robotics Lab are highly skilled in design and engineering. For proof, look no further than this recently released video which showcases their latest creation: a quadrupedal robot that moves via a set of pneumatic artificial muscles.

As a matter of fact, even if you’re not into science and technology, watch the video anyway, because the robot is adorable.

The robot is called PnueHound, and it’s easy to see where they got the name. With its short, stubby legs and thick midsection, it moves and looks like an excited, chubby puppy.

▼ Yes, they’re showing off its flexibility here at the video’s 0:21 mark, but it also looks like they’re trying to teach it to sit.

Adding to the canine atmosphere is the fact that PnueHound, in its present state, is accompanied by a handler who holds its cord, which makes the duo look like a proud pet owner taking his robo pooch out for a walk.

Make that a brisk walk, since PnueHound can reach speeds of up to 9.5 kilometers (5.9 miles) per hour

▼ “Okay, boy, that’s enough for today.”

The mental connection isn’t lost on PnueHound project leader and professor Koh Hosoda, either.

@htanigawa https://t.co/Yzi9SkdlCF

—
細田耕 (@KohHosoda) June 30, 2016

And yes, U.S.-based Boston Dynamic’s BigDog is the more robust robot, but take a look at the frightening behemoth’s eerie strides.

Now tell us, which would you rather have running to the door to greet at the end of the day? We know which one we’d pick.

▼ “I’m home!”

Related: Hosoda Lab
Source: IT Media
Images: YouTube/Koh Hosoda

China has smashed its own Guinness World Record for the largest number of robots dancing at one time.

China currently holds the record for the biggest population on Earth at 1.37 billion people. It also holds the record for the most robots dancing at one time.

An incredible 1,007 robots successfully completed a 60-second dance routine in synchronization at the Qingdao Beer Festival in Shandong, China and smashed the existing record of 540 held by UBTECH Robotics Corp., also a Chinese company.

The QRC-2 robots, developed by Ever Win Company & Ltd., are mostly white with splashes of red on the tops of their heads, ears, elbows, and hips, and each android stands at 17.2 inches (43.8 centimeters) tall. The robots are adept at dancing as they have joints allowing their limbs to move in both directions.

The challenge however wasn’t all smooth sailing for these little guys as a few were disqualified for falling over while grooving – which doesn’t really come as a surprise given they are all controlled by one solitary mobile phone!

This many robots in one place does seem a little bit freaky but it also shows us the potential of technology and human innovation!

One thing is clear: If dancing robots were an Olympic sport, China would be raking in even more gold medals!

References: YouTube/GuinnessWorldRecords, LiveScience
Images: YouTube/GuinnessWorldRecords 

Of course making a giant robot suit is no easy task, but Hajime Research Institute is 22 percent there.

Ah yes, what young child hasn’t dreamed of having their very own robot, or better, a gigantic robot suit that we can climb into and fly through the cosmos or to the nearest McDonald’s after bedtime because mom and dad ain’t got jack on a Gundam-style mobile suit.

Most of us grow up and abandoned those fantasies once we were old enough to go to McDonald’s freely. However, some continue to hold onto the dream. Many of these grown kids can be found in Osaka’s Hajime Research Institute.

Their goal is to create a bipedal rideable robot that is 18 meters (59 feet) tall. Starting back in 2010, the company created its first tiny bipedal robot in two years. Since then they have been gradually upping the size with each iteration. Now, in 2016, Hajime has posted videos of their Hajime 43 (HJM43) bipedal rideable robot.

Standing at 4 meters (13 feet) and weighing in at over 300 kg, Hajime may move slow but is surprisingly graceful for such a big machine. It’s a small step for robot, but giant leap for robot-kind.

The pilot enters into the belly of HJM-43 where it’s cockpit is located.

Inside the cockpit a joy stick controls the movement of the robot. To operate the finer movements of HJM the institute has added a “master-slave” interface in which a scaled down model of the robot can be posed by the pilot and the actual robot responds accordingly.

Sure it won’t win any beauty pageants, but since Hajime 43 is only a stepping stone to to Institute’s ultimate goal, it would only be wasteful to gussy it up with some decals and streamers. Also, the fact that such a small company is making this kind of progress shows how far along this technology has come.

Source: Sankei West, Hajime Research Institute, YouTube/hajimerobot (Japanese)
Original article by Mr. Sato

Robots? Check. Anime? Check. Creepy but still cute? Oh definitely check.

When many people think of Japan, things like anime, Akihabara, all-girl idol groups, and of course, robots come to mind. So what way to more perfectly encompass Japan than a video that combines all of them into one glorious performance?

Japanese Twitter user @83344ass recently posted a video showing just that:

▼ “I saw a concert of Love Live!’s μ’s in Akihabara!”

アキバでμ'sのライブ観れたぜぇぇぇえええ？？ #lovelive https://t.co/aKAl2aRWZv

—
じゅんたむ (@83344ass) October 30, 2016

Hey, that’s a group of Pepper robots! It looks like he’s moved on from flipping people off and giving haircut advice to finally achieve his dream of being in an idol group. Work it, Pepper!

For those unfamiliar, the group of Pepper robots is performing the song Yume no Tobira from the anime Love Live! You can watch the actual anime scene here, which is just a tad more complex than the Pepper version.

Still, the Pepper robots tried their hardest. Here’s a photo of them all before their big performance:

▼ Not sure why they’d schedule it for Halloween though.
It’s not like there’s anything scary about those dark, hollow eyes….

@83344ass これね https://t.co/O1ogtRC5ZW

—
ラブライブ！@μ'sic forever (@hdchyf1) October 30, 2016

Japanese netizens were divided on their reactions to such a dazzling performance, but most of them approved:

“That’s oddly cute.”
“Nope, this was the scariest thing I’ve seen all Halloween.”
“I love how Umi moves too fast and Rin just dies partway through lol.”
“And Kotori who is just standing there in the back staring off into space the whole time.”
“Are we witnessing the future of idols?”

Considering the fact that programmable idol robots are already a thing, and robot-versions of AKB48 members have married other robots, we’d hate to break it to you netizen, but that future is now.

Source: Twitter/@83344ass via Hamusoku
Featured image: Twitter/@83344ass

Cut the carp and tell us if these are real already!

Japan has created some extremely lifelike robotic-humans before, but considering all of the tiny movements a human has to constantly make to seem natural, it’s still pretty easy to tell if you’re talking to a real person or an android. When it comes to robotic fish, however, making the distinction between real and robotic becomes a lot harder, as Japanese Twitter user @ichinoji recently showed online with their video of robot carp.

Watch it here and see if you can figure out which of the three fish are real:

ロボットニシキゴイの動きがすげえ良い https://t.co/vXR3QeW90W

—
いちのじ@タコ/PSO2船7kitora (@ichinoji) November 05, 2016

Trick question – all three of the carp are robotic! Although that was a pretty fishy question, wasn’t it?

These robotic fish were shown off by the “Artificial Intelligence Robot” company AIRO at the recent Tokyo Design Week 2016, an exhibition of all things futuristic and cool, like wallets that used Sony’s digital paper to change patterns in an instant…

ソニーの電子ペーパー使ったプロダクト製品いいなあ https://t.co/5rGNeEbEXg

—
いちのじ@タコ/PSO2船7kitora (@ichinoji) November 05, 2016

…and these upside-down potted plant robots that aren’t as realistic as the carp but are still kind of cute.

Tokyo Design Week～ https://t.co/dZaMpd93xi

—
ユッケ(Yukke)　肉肉 (@yu2kebeatbox) October 26, 2016

Here’s how Japanese netizens reacted to the futuristic fish:

“I can’t tell if they’re real! Or not!”
“The LED lights kind of gives it away I think.”
“I spent forever examining the fish’s movements trying to figure out which was the real one, but it turns out they’re all robots. Amazing!”
“Real carp move around less than these ones, but the movements themselves are very natural.”
“Wait, so are electronics now okay in the water? When did this happen?”

That’s old news, netizen! Robotic fish have been a thing for several years, though not nearly as realistic as these carp. Though for some fish-robots, making them as unrealistic as possible was the exact intention.

Source: Twitter/@ichinoji via My Game News Flash
Top image: Twitter/@ichinoji

But could the sudden farewell have a silver lining?

It’s a shocking moment when you find out that something you believed would always be around will, in fact, not. For the last several years, an 18-meter-tall statute of venerable anime mecha Gundam has proudly stood in Tokyo’s Odaiba district, towering at the same exact height as its in-anime counterpart does in its world. It’s attracted not only animation fans, but Tokyo day trippers and even international travelers, becoming a legitimate landmark in the country’s capital.

And in just a few months, it’ll be gone.

▼ So behold it while you can.

Behold...GUNDAM!! 👊🏼🇯🇵 #mobilesuitgundam #odiaba #japan https://t.co/R0MKzQkFPR

—
Marcus Lai (@MarcusLai) November 13, 2016

Bandai Namco Holdings, the parent company which controls the rights to Gundam, has announced that March 5, 2017, is the last day the full-size Gundam will be on display in front of the Diver City entertainment complex. Fans’ first reaction will no doubt be denial, but the same statement was also made by toy division Bandai, animation division Sunrise, and even Bandai Namco Holdings-owned advertising agency Sotsu.

What’s more, the end is also drawing near for Gundam Front Tokyo, the Gundam-themed amusement park/gallery located inside Diver City. Gundam Front Tokyo will be closing its doors on April 5.

The news is particularly startling given how popular the Gundam statue remains, even after four and a half years positioned outside Diver City. Stop by on any weekend or holiday, and you’ll see a crowd of people snapping pictures and gazing up at the robot while munching on snacks or sipping drinks purchased from the nearby Gundam Cafe or one of the other food vendors who cluster around the plaza where the mecha is located.

Now, there are two tiny rays of hope in all of this. First, the Gundam statue hasn’t always been stationed at Diver City. It was initially placed in the nearby Shiokaze Park, and also spent nearly two years away from Tokyo, in Shizuoka Prefecture, from July 2010 until April 2012. More intriguingly, in 2014, Sunrise announced an ambitious plan to turn the life-size Gundam from a still model into one that moves, setting a 2019 deadline for itself.

As such, there’s a chance that the reason for removing Gundam from Odaiba is that it’s going to be gracing some other part of Japan with its presence, or perhaps that it’s going back to the shop as part of the process of developing its mobility-granting upgrades. However, Bandai Namco Holdings has, as of this time, released no statements to either effect, meaning it’s possible that come spring, the life-size Gundam will be gone for good. So if you’re a mecha fan who’s been putting off a trip to Japan, now’s the time to come, and also to remind yourself to appreciate the awesome things in life while they’re still around.

Source: IT Media
Top image ©RocketNews24

Azumi the holographic robot wants to brush teeth, watch TV, and send cute text messages together with you.

Holographic robots may have existed for a while now in Japan, with the likes of Hatsune Miku tearing up the stage at concerts just as well as any “real” human could. But the robots only performed scripted shows, and the technology would be prohibitively expensive to even think about personal use.

Until now! The Japanese company vinclu Inc. has created Gatebox, a portable machine that creates a 3-D virtual character who lives with you in your home. The character’s name is Azumi Hikari, and she may not be as tall as Hatsune Miku, but her heart is just as big.

▼ Here’s the video we saw when Gatebox first
released its concept almost a year ago.

Azumi connects to lots of devices in your house, including your TV, computer, lights, and more. The company has since released two more videos showing how users can interact with Azumi on a more personal level, and how she interacts right back:

▼ A quiet video showing little activities together
like brushing teeth, watching TV, and sleeping.

▼ Azumi also communicates with you when you’re away from home,
as this video shows. (Highlights and translations below)

▼ “Ugh, the train was packed today.”
“Oh no. Are you all right?”
“I want to go home….”
“Not yet! But you worked late tomorrow, so take it easier today.”

▼ “At midnight tonight let’s watch the 24th episode of KUROBAKO together <3”
“Azumi, I won’t be able to wake up for work tomorrow lol.”
“Don’t worry! I’ll go into work for you!”

▼ “On my way home.”
“Tee hee. I’m waiting for you.”
“Can you clean up a bit before I get there?”
“Got it!”

▼ For those wondering how a hologram can clean up, Azumi connects to
devices in your home, including the cleaning Roomba if you have one.

Personally I wasn’t sure what to think of Gatebox when I first saw it. I thought it was just a glorified remote control. But then after watching the videos and seeing how you can interact with Azumi, it really does feel like much more than that. It may just be a bunch of silly little interactions like asking her to turn on the TV or bushing your teeth together, but aren’t these silly little interactions exactly what we crave as human beings?

▼ The interface prides itself on only having one button;
everything else is communicated to Azumi via voice.

▼ Azumi is also able to recognize the unique face of her owner,
making the bond between you even stronger.

▼ And for those who want to customize Azumi or interact with her more,
Gatebox plugs into the computer via an HDMI cable.

Gatebox certainly has our attention, and if you’d like to keep track of their updates, be sure to follow them on Facebook or Twitter. Gatebox is currently available for pre-order until January 31, 2017 for those living in Japan and the U.S. (though Azumi will only be able to communicate in Japanese) for the price of 321,840 yen (US$2,800).

We’re interested to see what happens with Gatebox and if it can deliver on its promises. In the meantime if you’re itching for a robot of your own, check out programmable dancing idol robots, or the 120 million-yen mecha robot available for purchase on Amazon Japan. It may not be as cute as Azumi, but it’s perfect for crushing your enemies into the ground.

Source, top image: Gatebox
Insert images: YouTube/info vinclu, Gatebox

Recreation of anime’s Unit-01 sets very specific Guinness World Record.

Last month, lovers of giant robots everywhere were saddened to hear that Tokyo’s full-scale Gundam statue will no longer be displayed after March 5. But it seems the universe needs to maintain balance, and so another massive recreation of anime machinery has been put up, this time representing the Evangelion franchise.

公開前だけど、タイミングによっては見られるみたいね weibo.com/1352916894/Eph… https://t.co/zRfzBiZykQ

—
中国住み (@livein_china) January 04, 2017

While Evangelion is one of the most influential animated series to come out of Japan, this gigantic statue of Evangelion Unit-01 was first displayed at last summer’s ChinaJoy digital entertainment trade show in Shanghai, as part of the promotion for Chinese software developer Heitao’s Evangelion mobile game.

▼ ChinaJoy 2016

これは、去年のChinajoy＠上海 の時のエヴァ https://t.co/cKPsy0n6GX

—
中国住み (@livein_china) January 03, 2017

Impressive as it was then, the statue is even more towering in stature in its new location elsewhere in the city, since it’s now gripping the Spear of Longinus, the immensely powerful piece of anime weaponry which almost took a real-life trip to the moon.

weibo.com/1946479032/Epg… https://t.co/5BWwAREdhF

—
中国住み (@livein_china) January 04, 2017

Not only does this create a more dramatic scene, it boosts the total height of the statue. While the top of the Eva’s head is 13,2 meters (43.3 feet) off the ground, the tip of the spear’s shaft is a dizzying 24.8 meters (81.4 feet) above the pavement.

ギネス認定された上海のエヴァ初号機　高さ25m だそうです。 一般公開はまだ　場所は汶水路駅の近くとのこと https://t.co/lYpy2dxRYT

—
中国住み (@livein_china) January 03, 2017

中国の巨大エヴァが「最大のアニメフィギュア」とギネスに認定されたもよう←？？ hobbylog.jp/archives/10635… @livein_china [via] #eva #エヴァンゲリオン #黒桃互動 https://t.co/yiz5HTllZw

—
ホビログ (@Hobby_Log) January 04, 2017

The Evangelion series is infamous for its aversion to making concrete statements about its events and characters, and that vagueness extends to the specs for Unit-01. In the anime, no official height is given for the machine, which prevents us from judging whether this statue is “full-scale” or not. However, the 24.8 meters of the statue qualified it to be officially recognized as the largest Evangelion by the Guinness World Records association, and for that, we think its planners and builders deserve a heartfelt “Congratulations!”

Sources: Jin, Game Watch, Anime News Network/Jennifer Sherman, Minna no Eva Fan
Featured image: Twitter/@Hobby_Log

They’re called “mobile suits,” and snowboarding is a form of mobility, after all.

It’s hard to imagine now, but when the original Mobile Suit Gundam premiered on Japanese TV in 1979, it struggled to find an audience, and was temporarily cancelled due to low ratings. Today, though, it’s a very different story, and to date there are more than three dozen branches of the Gundam anime franchise, spanning TV, direct-to-video series and theatrical features.

Some of those are direct sequels to previous Gundam anime, while others take place in completely different settings with all-new characters. In tone, they range from gritty war dramas to unabashedly light-hearted toy commercials.

Really, the only constant in the world of Gundam is this: there will be more Gundam content in the future. And that’s apparently as true for real-world snowboarding mobile suits as it is for their anime counterparts, as shown in this video from Japanese Twitter user @Hiroooooki_n of a snowboarder who hit the slopes while simultaneously doing a bit of Gundam cosplay.

2017年 遂にシャア専用ザクが ゲレンデを攻めてきた。 https://t.co/OM9LKj1dTJ

—
中島寛貴 (@Hiroooooki_n) January 05, 2017

Whereas the mecha snowboarder we saw a few years back was dressed as the heroic RX-78-2 Gundam, this time it was the show-stealing Char-custom Zaku that was carving through the powder. While its anime pilot, Car Aznable, is ostensibly the villain of the original series, his charisma and talent made him a fan favorite, elevating him to a position sort of like the Darth Vader of Japan and landing him endorsement deals as a pitchman for both cars and cakes.

The snowboarder’s costume is extremely detailed, faithfully reproducing the asymmetrical shields and spikes of the Zaku’s upper body, and even includes its standard-issue beam rifle. Nevertheless, the boarder deftly makes his way down the slope, and even strikes a few cool poses for the camera along the way.

It seems there was also a snowboarder cosplaying as the more darkly painted Dom mobile suit in the vicinity, although no videos of it in action have yet surfaced.

▼ Perhaps because Doms are known for going out on combat maneuvers in teams of three, and his two buddies didn’t show up.

@mokugekisya @Hiroooooki_n @3pF ドムはまだ１機しか…( >_<) https://t.co/LCfexaNEcp

—
すすたん (@susutakayama) January 30, 2017

With Japan still having a few more weeks of ski season left, the ball is now in other outdoorsy anime fans’ court to bring other mobile suits out to play in the snow.

Source: Anime News Network/Lynzee Loveridge
Featured image: Twitter/@Hiroooooki_n

The Internet of Things (IoT) finds its newest home in a pint-sized moe-cute figure who gyrates for your pleasure.

For those not satisfied with merely admiring their static figurines, Kosaka Cocona is the dancing idol figurine for you. Standing at a petite 125 centimetres (just shy of three feet) tall and with 34 movable joints, Kosaka Cocona’s movements are powered by a Raspberry Pi3 CPU which is located in the base unit rather than the figure to allow for easier maintenance. As one can expect from a moe idol, she is slim and beautifully painted, but unlike many previous moving figures, she is equipped with independently movable joints, with, for example, three in her neck alone. Perfect for those who, like me, require their very own nodding yes-man/idol to affirm all their ideas.

But this “Motion Figure” is no one-trick pony that repeats the same old dance routine. Using the MikuMiku Dance software remotely on your cloud-connected PC or tablet, Kosaka Cocona will dance to your tune as you can decide and programme her movements.

This comes at a price, and at the moment Kosaka Cocona will set you back a whopping 980,000 yen (US$8,600) plus tax, and her appearance can be customised for an additional charge.

▼ The attention to detail and painting detail is as good as any non-moving figure.

▼ The CPU and servos are located in the base.

▼ Presumably about to burst into song.

She is only the first in a number of moving figures that maker Speecys hopes to release in the near future.

Source, top image: Speecys

You might not think you have enough space in your home to display all these anime and movie robots, but you’re wrong.

When you’re a student, decorating your living space more or less overlaps with building a shrine to your hobbies. For example, if you walked into high school or college Casey’s room, the Fatal Fury wall scroll and Magic Knight Rayearth figure on the shelf, along with dozens of other pieces of otaku-oriented paraphernalia, pretty clearly announced that anime and video games were two of his primary interests.

As we grow up, though, circumstances often change. Leaving your parents’ house and moving into a place of your own often means having less space in which to display your stuff, and once you get married or have kids, you’re likely to have even less “me space.” Still, if you’ve ever been really into comics or cartoons, it’s hard to look at this photo from Instagram user Hank Cheng and not feel at least a little jealous.

But most of us aren’t lucky enough to be able to dedicate a whole room to a robot collection. Cheng must live in a huge house, right?

こんなオタク部屋欲しいなぁ〜、と思ってたらマジか！！？ https://t.co/T6cz1ntfF5

—
くろだまさし (@kurodamasa) February 19, 2017

Nope, not necessarily.

While these pictures show a huge collection of robots in terms of how many figures there are, each one is incredibly small, as the entire scene is a carefully laid out miniature diorama.

▼ Even the seemingly oversized Uniqlo bag is actually tiny.

Cheng has shared multiple miniature scenes through his Instagram account. They generally have some sort of Japanese theme, such as a Star Wars Stormtrooper robbing a dango (Japanese dumpling) shop run by C-3PO…

…or Godzilla wrecking Tokyo.

The robot room might be his most impressive creation yet, and what makes it really special is when you zoom out to see that the room the diorama is stored in is also packed with robot figures…

…or when you zoom in to see that the diorama contains miniatures of its own!

We’re not sure what Cheng’s next project is going to be, but whatever it is, we’re expecting big things from this creator of tiny art.

Related: Hank Cheng Instagram
Source: Twitter/@kurodamasa
Featured image: Instagram/cheng.hank