JAPAN: Break dancing robot wipes the floor at the International Robot Exhibition

Record ID: 401686

  • Title: JAPAN: Break dancing robot wipes the floor at the International Robot Exhibition
  • Date: 28th November 2009
  • Summary: MANOI GO DANCING MANOI GO'S FEET AND MORE DANCING MANOI GO DANCING IN FRONT OF SPECTATORS
  • Embargoed: 13th December 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Science / Technology,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAA63P4PZR7EJE2RVU5SQT7YIG6
  • Story Text: Manoi GO's (pronounced Mah-noh-ee Gee-Oh) feet may be mechanical, but that's not stopping him from having smooth moves.
    Body rolling and tutting to Japanese hip-hop band Kingrasshoppers' song 'If you got to do it, you got to do it' or 'Yarunara, yaraneba' (pronounced yah-roo-nah-rah, yah-rah-neh-bah), GO does it with robotic style.
    From head-spins to pop and locking, GO is on the go, heading for the top of the cyber-hood.
    Decked out in ripped baggy jeans and red sweats, this diminutive 34-centimetre (13 inch) 'bot has wowed internet users and the local media and is now tipped to be the next cyber-star.
    With a 147,000 yen plus (1,700 USD) price tag, he's not cheap.
    GO's creators say he is an upgraded version of the more mundane Manoi robots out on the market.
    "We used the robot that we already sell in Akihabara, so that all sorts of people can enjoy them. One of the ideas that we had is to see what could be achieved if professionals like us used the parts that we can find in Akihabara to make something mind-blowing," Masayuki Okamoto, Manoi Manager told Reuters, mentioning the district in Tokyo famous for selling electronics, Akihabara.
    The creators put in a lot of effort in "teaching" (some call it programming) the robot the proper moves.
    "So, we decided to go for break dance. We got the moves from a world touring professional dancer. And the head-spin, we asked a member of the Guinness record holder team for head-spinning," Okamoto said.
    However his energetic moves come at a cost.
    Okatamoto and his team constantly need to repair broken parts and strengthen joints to ensure GO doesn't break down when break dancing.
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