JAPAN: SEGA UNVEIL NEW LINE OF "HUMANOID" ROBOT TOYS.

Record ID: 402012

  • Title: JAPAN: SEGA UNVEIL NEW LINE OF "HUMANOID" ROBOT TOYS.
  • Date: 28th February 2001
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (FEBRUARY 28, 2001) (REUTERS) ( * BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) SEGA TOYS PRESIDENT ISAO KOKUBUN AND TIGER ELECTRONICS UK LES FORGHAM HOLDING THE 'BOT' SERIES ROBOTS CLOSE UP OF A 'C-BOT' 'C-BOT' IN ACTION AND SMILING AND BEING ANGRY WIDE OF PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE)(English) SEGA TOYS PRESIDENT ISAO KOKUBUN AND TIGER ELECTRONICS UK LES FORGHAM: "The th
  • Embargoed: 15th March 2001 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Quirky,Technology,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA7XTDQWN8EU79BMYF9FAEHZY0C
  • Story Text: Sega Toys, with Tiger Electronics, has joined a long line of entertainment companies to begin manufacturing "humanoid" robots.
    Sega Corp gave its pet dog robot POO-CHI a new family on Wednesday (February 28), when it unveiled five walking, talking, and emotionally charged humanoid robots that will hit store shelves from May, 2001.
    Joining up with Tiger Electronics, Sega and Tiger displayed what it calls its BOT series robots.
    "The theme of robots will dominate the toy business over the next 24 to 36 months at Sega-Tiger are delighted to be pioneering the way again," said Tiger Electronics managing director Les Forgham.
    The robots, though not on the same technological level of Sony's canine Aibo and humanoid SRD, each have their own specialty.
    The Robo-chi is touted as the robot that can talk back and learn words. The M-BOT is expected to dance along with music.
    While the C-BOT can communicate emotions via a digital display face on it head.
    The robot are priced from 1,980 yen (17 U.S. dollars) for small M-BOTs to 4,980 yen (42 U.S. dollars) for the W-BOT that can actually walk around and avoid obstacles.
    Sega and Tiger hope to sell over 1.5 million units in the first year.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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