Paro Cuddles, Achieves Mental Commitment

Paro is a "Mental Commitment Robot," designed with such sweetness that it provides relaxation and motivation, psychological and physiological effects for its owner. Created by Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Denmark has purchased 1,000 of the robotic baby harp seals for health care facilities and is hoping to complete the adoption process by 2011. The AIST says there is an improvement in vital signs and social skills when in play and we suspect the furry bot has earned his title of "World's Most Therapuetic Robot" by Guinness.

Via Paro

NEC Robot Teller is Watching You

You know how demanding those robots can be. This NEC Teller prototype recently debuted at the iExpo trade show in Tokyo. The company foresees it being employed as a ticket taker. The user selects the e-money icon and swipes their cellie over the reader/writer in its left hand. NEC says they can also add voice recognition, a handy tool to catch all those terrorists at Disneyland and to suggest attractions according to said tourists' age and weight.

Via Technovelgy

Shimon and Haile Play Tunes

Shimon is a second generation project from Georgia tech that can play the marimba with help from Haile, a robotic percussionist. Working on algorithms, Shimon boasts richer sounds and is more interactive by giving visual cues and bouncing its head to the beat. He/she can also analyze harmony, rhythm, and melodies to improvise while playing. We wonder if they have met ASIMO, who would surely like to sit in. You can catch a clip of the two in action here.

Via Physorg

Skybot Does Windows

Someday when you are stuck in your high rise cubicle, you may look out the window and find yourself er, face to face with Skybot. The robotic system consists of a computer to control a lifting crane and a bot with adhesion technology. After the robot is in place, the computer controls and monitors its work via sensors. The company is quick to let you know that their product is green, as it utilizes environmentally friendly detergents.

Via Skybot

Aldebaran Nao Juvie Service Bot

We realize that the French company Adebaran is working to make us all a better life through robotics, but there is something so comical about their Nao video that is difficult to take him seriously. Between the happy music and the juvenile voice, we wish he would just be quiet and pick up the rubber duck already! Nao should be available next year for about $15,000. That's a lot of bucks for an android that will clean up your room.

Via Aldebaran (translated)

AR, the Perfect Maidbot

Toyota and the University of Tokyo have teamed up to develop AR, a service bot that it so precise that it can recognize clothes by their creases in order to pick them up. If he drops anything, he knows enough to pick it up, unlike a few adults we know. The domestic assistant can not only do the wash, but can serve drinks and sweep the floor, including moving furniture if need be. Professor Masayuki Inaba claims that the robot is still too clumsy and slow and needs more work. We would be glad to volunteer to take AR under our wing and have all the practice he needs until he gets it right.

Via Mainichi Daily News

Cafero Robot Caters in Korea

One of the robots displayed at the recent Robot World 2008 in Korea was Cafero. The kitchen robot by Yujin has a touchscreen and serves, but given the limited information, that may be the extent of it. Still, we thought it was worth a mention because if it wasn't for our caffeine fix, we probably wouldn't make through the day.

Via Aving

I-SWARM To Colonize Mars?

While some of us envision building colonies on Mars someday, European researchers have been developing small autonomous bots that work together like insects to perform the chore. The I-SWARM Project is composed of 100 tiny robots that can reconfigure themselves as needed for different tasks.

"Small robots that are able to work together could explore the planet. We now know there is water and dust so all they would need is some sort of glue to start building structures, such as homes for human scientists," said Marc Szymanski, a researcher at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany.

We suspect those first humans would include the I-SWARM team, who certainly will have earned the honor.

Via Science Daily

Wakamaru Has Facebook Page

Somebody had best alert ASIMO. Mitsubishi's Wakamaru NYT is our newest Facebook friend. It seems that the yellow dude already has over 160 buddies on his list. Next thing you know, he and others of his ilk will be taking over MySpace.

Via Mitsubishi

Repliee R-1, Disturbing Child Bot

We hope that when Japan starts releasing service bots for all of us that the scientists consult someone who can design a face that is not this creepy. Repliee R-1 comes from Osaka University and is meant to resemble a 5 year-old. Designed for the elderly, she has 50 sensors and several motors to make "her" seem more human. Apparently she will be able to move, interact and fetch.

Via Telegraph

Zeno, The Friendly Bot

David Hanson created a robotics company of the same name and developed Zeno, a 17" boy toy who can recognizes faces, smiles, laughs and remember your name. Although he is still at the prototype stage, Hanson will keep working on it because, as he says, "We want to be damn sure that by the time [robots] become as smart as we are, they have a conscience and compassion and that we are friends. There's no guarantee. They could be psychotic."

We hope not, David! Zeno frequently makes appearances so check out his site for his touring schedule.

Via ABC

Enon Quizzes Museum Visitors

Fujitsu recently updated their Enon robot. The service bot is now a smaller size and has additional safety functions. Enon is meant for providing information, assisting the disabled, acting as a security guard, or for delivery. If you are fortunate enough to get to Tokyo some day, you can find one permanently at work as a visitor's guide at the Kyotaro Nishimura Museum. It includes a quiz about the works of the mystery novelist. Those who pass receive a certificate for their efforts, but be sure to brush up on your Japanese first.

Via Fujitsu

Europe Works on Robotics Quietly

Europe, like the U.S., usually prefers their robots to look like machines while the Japanese are comfortable with humanoid shaped bots because the Shinto religion believes that machines can have souls, according to robotics researcher Bruno Siciliano. As examples of some of the humanoid bots in Europe, check out those made at the Robotics Lab at the University Carlos III of Madrid like Maggie, a robot built to study human robot interaction, intelligence, and autonomy.

Via Physorg

Wakamaru to Debut in SoHo

A while back, we told you about TMSUK-4, the shopping bot used in Japan. It turns out that Wakamaru, a similar bot created by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will be making is debut in the States at the UNIQLO SoHo store in NYC. While we cannot visit the robot personally, if you are in NY and happen to be passing by, let us know if Wakamaru has arrived and send pix!

Via Tokyo Mango