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Hitachi Unveils Humanoid Robot

Posted by samzenpus on from the almost-human dept.

HunahpuMonkey writes "BBC reports that Hitachi has unveiled a humanoid robot, named Emiew, to compete with Honda's Asimo and Sony's Qrio robots. The robot has a vocabulary of about 100 words and could be trained for practical office and factory use. In addition, it is the fastest robot to date, moving 3.7 miles per hour on wheel feet which resemble the bottom half of a Segway scooter."

30 of 245 comments (clear)

  1. Battle Stairs! by BWJones · · Score: 4, Funny

    OK, here is the challenge:

    Hitachi's new wheeled robot versus Honda's Asimo and Sony's Qrio in BATTLE STAIRS! First one down a flight of 100 steps intact wins.

    :-)

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    1. Re: Battle Stairs! by Alwin+Henseler · · Score: 2, Funny
      "First one down a flight of 100 steps *intact* wins."

      So what do the rules of this competition say about winning? Would that be "to move down the steps fastest", or would they allow "to fall down in the shortest possible time, and built strong enough to survive the impact?"

      The most difficult road is the most interesting one.

    2. Re:Battle Stairs! by stephenisu · · Score: 2, Funny
      In all honesty, if the steps are equal in length and hieght, the Hitachi could slide on its back by accelerating really fast. After sliding down, it would just keep rolling.

      For REAL fun, I say give the stairs various heights and widths, maybe a turn or two and some spikes. I LOOOVE me some spikes.

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    3. Re: Battle Stairs! by Da+Fokka · · Score: 4, Funny

      Meet my unbeatable entry, called the Bowling-Bo. Maybe not as good on manual labour as the Hitachi version but it only has a vocabulary of 100 words less and will pwn the stair challenge.

    4. Re: Battle Stairs! by phaggood · · Score: 1, Funny

      My brother used to work in a bowling place. He threw one of those bowling balls against the wall,

      Hence, used to work.

  2. Cog and Kismet by filmmaker · · Score: 2, Funny

    Totota and Hitachi got nuthin' on MIT's Cog and Kismet

    I foresee a fight scene ala Anchorman; Cog wielding a switch-blade.

    "Como estas, bitches!"

    --
    I Want To Believe
  3. Intelligencia by oskard · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The robot has a vocabulary of about 100 words and could be trained for practical office and factory use"

    I don't know about you, but a 100 word vocabulary is already vastly superior to some of the factory workers I've worked with.

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  4. Something about that name... by spawnofbill · · Score: 4, Funny

    Does anyone else get the mental image of a large feathered robot with a tendency to hump sunbathing women? Or is it just me?

    1. Re:Something about that name... by Em+Ellel · · Score: 2, Funny

      Does anyone else get the mental image of a large feathered robot with a tendency to hump sunbathing women? Or is it just me?

      I believe it is just you.

      -Em

      --
      RelevantElephants: A Somatic WebComic...
  5. Segway wheels? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Why did we hear no hyperbole from Steve Jobs prior to this?

  6. This is all fine... by Lisandro · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... as long as they don't enslave humans in order to protect them and make a cyborg with prejudice for robots our only hope of freedom.

    Ah, and rape a fine writers' memory in the process!

  7. Oooh by Robotron23 · · Score: 4, Funny

    It bears a likeness to R2-D2...

    Now all they need to do is affix a gin & tonic brewer...

  8. So life-like... by mfender9 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obviously much effort has been put into making this as closely resemble us wheeled humanoids as possible. Hitachi, I applaud you!

  9. Humanoid robots? by e2d2 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Since when did humanoids have wheels?

    Damn I'm behind, I gotta get rid of these stupid legs.

    UPGRADE

  10. It has to be said... by TiggertheMad · · Score: 4, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new office work performing over-

    Awe, crap, who am I kidding? I'm going to be freakin' outsourced to one of these little @#$@#$ers...

    DIE, YOU LITTLE ROTTER! R2D2 WAS TWICE THE BOT YOU WILL EVER BE!

    --

    HA! I just wasted some of your bandwidth with a frivolous sig!
  11. The end of the Microsoft Employee by bananahead · · Score: 3, Funny

    This will end the hiring of new employees at Microsoft. Just the fact that it moves AT ALL, much less 3.6 MPH will render the entire program management, middle management and test groups obsolete.

    --
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  12. Re:Ok so what are these good for. by NanoGator · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Can it do my laundry? Can it Walk the dog? Can it cook my meals? Hrmm... Guess its not a replacement for Wife 1.0, I never shoulda upgraded in the first place."

    Being an early adopter is hell. I still haven't gotten any calls on my video phone. I ended up rerouting my cable to it so I could pretend celebrities are calling.

    --
    "Derp de derp."
  13. Re:I've seen something like this. by myowntrueself · · Score: 3, Funny

    "although the sushi-dispensing robots did have a few stock phrases and voice recognition"

    I bet that the 'used womens panties' vending machine would be the one with the most interesting conversation...

    --
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  14. I for one... by kryogen1x · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...welcome our segway-like overlords.

  15. Upon the initial system boot.... by machinegunhand · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...the robot used its limited vocabulary to ask who came up with the name "Emiew," followed by the words, "prepare to die."

  16. im starting an EMIEW farm.. by shrewd · · Score: 1, Funny

    i am an evil overlord, where can i pick up a fleet of these things?

  17. Re:Actually... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yep, those crazy Japanese CAR companies.

    If you'll excuse me, I have to return my Sony rental car and pick up my Hitachi at the body shop.

  18. Re:What's the big deal about humanoid robots? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Uh huh, Chobits would have been a very different story if Chi had been a giant spider.

    "Hideki, you are the one just for me!"

    "Oh for the love of God NO!!!! Aaaaaggghhhhhhh!!!"

  19. You have been replaced by a small Perl script.... by PHAEDRU5 · · Score: 2, Funny


    "You have been replaced by a small Perl script..."

    It's getting closer to reality. I can feel it.

    --
    668: Neighbour of the Beast
  20. Bush by kai.chan · · Score: 1, Funny

    I wonder if they will implement a "Senior Transport" function for this robot. If so, then it would be an awesome feature, because I would get to see George Bush fall off of this one as well.

  21. Re:Ok so what are these good for. by anagama · · Score: 2, Funny

    As long as you control the power switch, it will be a huge upgrade from Wife 1.0.

    --
    What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
  22. Yeah, but can it do my laundry? by otisg · · Score: 2, Funny

    Until it can get my groceries and do my laundry, I'm not buying! I already have a Rumba - it doesn't talk, but does a good job vacuuming.

    --
    Simpy
  23. Re:What's the big deal about humanoid robots? by Dr.+GeneMachine · · Score: 2, Funny
    It creeps me out when things that don't have a soul start talking to me. Call me crazy.

    Ever met a lawyer?

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  24. Re:How long before they replace us? by cgibbard · · Score: 3, Funny

    "I want to be able to walk about in places like Shinjuku and Shibuya [shopping districts] in the future without bumping into people and cars," Pal told reporters.

    Is it referring to motor control systems? Or something more sinister?

  25. Yes but.. by Agarax · · Score: 1, Funny

    Can a beowulf cluster of these run Linux in Soviet Russia?

    Kinda like the XBot from Ctrl-Alt-Del

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