Life-Like Robot Debuts at World Expo 2005

Quick! Which one is the robot?

Repliee Q1 (at left in both pictures) appeared yesterday at the 2005 World Expo in Japan, where she gestured, blinked, spoke, and even appeared to breathe. Shown with co-creator Hiroshi Ishiguru of Osaka University, the android is partially covered in skinlike silicone. Q1 is powered by a nearby air compressor, and has 31 points of articulation in its upper body.

Internal sensors allow the android to react "naturally." It can block an attempted slap, for example. But it's the little, "unconscious" movements that give the robot its eerie verisimilitude: the slight flutter of the eyelids, the subtle rising and falling of the chest, the constant, nearly imperceptible shifting so familiar to humans.

Surrounded by machines that draw portraits, swat fast-moving balls, and snake through debris, Q1 is only one of the showstoppers at the expo's Prototype Robot Exposition, which aims to showcase Japan's growing role in the robotics industry.

But given Q1's reported glitch-related "spasms" at the expo, it may be a while before androids are escorting tour groups or looking after children—which may be just as well. "When a robot looks too much like the real thing, it's creepy," Hiroshi told the Associated Press.

—Ted Chamberlain

news.nationalgeographic.com...

I wonder if twenty years from now there will be a movement of those who want to marry their robots? Would medical insurance be extended to include chip reprogramming and lube-job?

Bionic body parts, including the very common joint replacements, are blurring the distinction between humans and machines. Will robots want to vote?

Inventor Of Artificial Hand Sees "Bionic" Replacement Parts Becoming More Human

Brain waves drive man's bionic arm

Of course, these questions have been posed before:

Bicentennial Man (1999)

Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001)

I, Robot

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott


I wonder if twenty years from now there will be a movement of those who want to marry their robots? Would medical insurance be extended to include chip reprogramming and lube-job?

By 'lube job', I'm assuming that you're talking about something that relates to hydraulics, right?

Sorry.. couldn't help myself.

Use your imagination. It's a brave new world.

People are becoming more like machines and machines are becoming more human.

Good post, Grady!

I'm afraid I'd have to draw the line at marrying a robot, though. It would have to be strictly casual, consentual and noncommital. Considering my luck with marriage, I'd end up with a robot that cheats on me, makes me take out the trash when I'm done with the dishes, and then leaves me one day with nothing but the shirt on my back. Yes sir, from now on for me it's meaningless all the way! I must say, though, that robot in the picture is kinda cute - moreso than my 3rd wife ...

Seriously, I think robotics technology is overlooked a lot. By that I mean that most people aren't aware of how fast it's advancing. One of these days, maybe not that far in the future, the combination of robotics, information processing technology and genetics will produce some interesting results. Some good, and some not so good.

I wish I could come back 500 years from now just to look around. If humans are still around it could be really fascinating what they've come up with ...





[edit on 6/29/2005 by netbound]

Check out that scientist dude, hes checking that robot out.....

Heres a video of one of these machines:

www.wimp.com...