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Toyota's Trumpet Playing Robot Showcased
fsharp writes "The New York Times has an article discussing the first public showing of Toyota's new humanoid robot. During a demonstration, the biped robot played trumpet together with a rolling robot. Most telling about the article was the whole philosophy towards R&D: 'Toyota acknowledges that it is unlikely to turn a profit building robots anytime soon, but the program highlights its engineering-oriented culture and willingness to invest in projects that may not pay off for decades.' How many companies these days are willing to drop money into some technology that may not turn a profit for many years?"
When are the goddamn SexBots going to be released?! My lifeless real doll ain't cutting it!
...dear god, think of the possibilities. A robot with the ability to play a trumpet constantly...endlessly. The annoyance will be legendary.
Kids these days. They don't know the difference between classic, and just plain old.
I for one can see several applications that might directly appeal to this crowd.
There is something seriously wrong with your sense of 'cool'.
Robots aren't cool?! What are you, an American CEO?
Good News! Toyota announces a robot that can play the trumpet!
Still working on the cure for the common cold, world peace, and an end to poverty.
--Guns don't kill people, abortion clinics kill people.
I can see GM doing a robotic nose flute or kazoo.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
OOOHHH!!! BURRRRNNN!! ;-)
"Artificial lips as subtle as human lips
The 35kg as yet unnamed robot has artificial lips which can alter their position as subtly as human lips as air is forced through them, enabling it to play a trumpet as it presses the stops with its hands."
Am I the only one wondering...
Friend of the Wise, Brother of the Brave.
Welcome our new, jazzier, robot overlords....
(sorry someone had to)
Please send all UCE to scally@devolution.com so I can f
welcome our new musical android overlords.
sig under development
"it may still have profitable applications in other areas (ie, prosthetics)."
YES! At last I will be able to get new artificial lips and be able to play the trumpet again!
--
"This one time, at band camp... I got a BJ from a trumpet playing robot!"
sorry...
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Well as long as they don't turn the seti client into Skynet we'll be alright
How many companies these days are willing to drop money into some technology that may not turn a profit for many years?
Judging from the Windows market share, I'd say a lot.
Sure, if you wanted the robot to play a half-tone flat for half an hour and then fall on its face...
Ben"There are no such things as mutual fantasies. Yours bore us and ours offend you."
- Bill Maher
magine the possiblities...not to mention the future military application...
An army of robot musicians playing polka gives me the creeps...
I still think Asimo serv3s (hehe) that thing. Both are completely useless, but at least Asimo can wave when you throw him a newspaper.
hi
Um, I don't think they're autonomous. We still have to tell whem what to do.
.. my manager reads Slashdot !
OMG
While Toyota's creations are coordinating on a brassy number, GM's robots are sitting in a circle like a group of Ralph Wiggums, playing rubber-band shoebox, wax-paper kazoo, and triangle.
Do you love freedom??? Do you love freedom!!! DO YOU LOVE FREEDOM!!!!!!!!
First blue collar workers in manufacturing where replaced by robots, then white collar and IT workers were/are replaced by cheap labor (and i'm sure companies would be more than happy to replace 30 programmers @ $2/hr with a machine).
Next thing you know street performers (who used to work in a factory or office) will be....well, ok they'll still on the street but you get the idea.
And now we have a trumpet playing robot...
Oh, I see, I get it - here's the secret evil Japanese plan to take over the world - they're going to create a robotic marching band!
I'm waiting for the robot that will expose its breast plate during the Supahbowl.
Don't you know? In Japan all cars transform into fighting robots! Being able to pilot a fighting robot is required of everyone who gets a drivers licence. My friend Mark once saw this giant moth just think about attacking his town and Fighting Robots chopped it head off just like that! I mean, with the restrictions on their official military, it's either that or have you country taken over giant monsters. It's an easy choice in my opinion.
First it was Honda and their dancing robot. How cute.
Next it's Toyota and a trumpet playing robot. Amazing!
Do you notice a trend with these auto companies creating more and more sophisticated robots to one-up the competition?
How long before Honda unveils their Asimo complete with a 120mm M829 Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot-Tracer Depleted Uranium cannon?
Will Toyota fire back with their trumpet playing metalstorm wielding automation?
While Toyota's creations are coordinating on a brassy number, GM's robots are sitting in a circle like a group of Ralph Wiggums, playing rubber-band shoebox, wax-paper kazoo, and triangle.
Needs more cowbell.
Yes and it's nice to see the money being put to this!x .html
http://www.jda.go.jp/JMSDF/event/cm_p/inde