JAPAN: A Japanese toy maker develops a humanoid robot that can hula dance and turn somersaults

Record ID: 401694

  • Title: JAPAN: A Japanese toy maker develops a humanoid robot that can hula dance and turn somersaults
  • Date: 28th July 2007
  • Summary: (L!3) TOKYO, JAPAN (RECENT AY "ALOHA" AND START DANCING HULA VARIOUS OF ROBOTS DANCING HULA
  • Embargoed: 12th August 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA1EY9SS5HZD1ZGYS6YGZEWSUJD
  • Story Text: In Japan, all sorts of technology and machinery are created literally every day and robots are no exception.
    The latest can hula dance and turn somersaults.
    Japanese toy maker Tomy has unveiled the prototypes of what it says is the world's smallest bipedal humanoid robot, called i-SOBOT, which will hit the Japanese and U.S. toy markets in October.
    The remote-controlled robot can talk and dance as programmed, and is limber enough to perform karate kicks and even somersaults.
    "We have developed special servomotors and each robot has 17 of them embedded in it. That is what has allowed this robot to become the world's smallest toy robot, with a height of 16.5 centimetres," said Tomy spokesman Takayoshi Saitoh.
    The toy maker says their latest robot robot can be controlled in four different ways: by pre-programmed actions, user-programmed actions, real-time remote control or voice commands. It is powered by rechargeable batteries.
    The robot's retail price in Japan will be 31,290 yen (260 U.S.
    dollars). The toy maker plans to sell 50,000 units in the first year in Japan alone.
    And for American consumers, the robot speaks English.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Audio restrictions: This clip's Audio includes copyrighted material. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing the audio contained in this clip.
Register