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Panasonic's 16-Finger, Hair-Washing Robot
angry tapir writes "Panasonic has developed a hair-washing robot that uses 16 electronically controlled fingers to give a perfect wash and rinse. The robot, images of which were distributed by Panasonic, appears to be about the size of a washing machine. Users sit in a reclining chair and lean back to place their head in the machine's open top. Two robot arms guide the 16 fingers, which have the same dexterity as human fingers, the company claims."
These robots obey the three laws, so one won't ever go bezerk and crush the skull of a human...
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But does it talk to you about the weather or other small talk like stuff that the hair was (usually girl) does at the hair cut place? At least have it say stuff like "wow, that's really funny" or "yup yup"...
---- aut viam inveniam aut faciam
This is called Heights of laziness. Or it should be used for a person who don't have hands.
-V
which have THE SAME dexterity as human fingers
human finger dexterity is aided by human thumbs, human wrists, human arms, and all under the control of the very same human, complete with intimate knowledge of the systems maintaining the hair production.
it looks so 1950s!
welcome our new hair washing overlords.
Finally we have developed hair washing technology. I have struggled with this all my life, and Panasonic feels my pain. It is so confusing to was your hair, sometimes I use all 10 fingers (and thumbs), while other times I only use 6. I am unable to maintain consistency, and I'm never sure how much I should wash and rinse. Sometimes I don't rinse, other times I spend the rest of the day rinsing. The portability of this machine will make it practical in every day life, I could take it to work with me, take it on a holiday, and wash my hair to the machines content. Luckily the two robot arms have the same dexterity as human fingers, because my fingers have the same dexterity as robot fingers. In this way, we will be a perfect match.
THANKS PANASONIC, YOU'VE SOLVED ALL MY PROBLEMS!
This is my footer. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
dumbass!!!
Not to mention the human boobs, which get in our face and make the whole trip worthwhile.
If there is an electrical spike or software crash that causes the hands to accidentally give their client a lobotomy?
I think these things should be more appropriately called Death Machines. And NO, I didn't read the article; I don't have too. Pure logical deduction on my part demonstrates the danger of these machines.
I am never going to trust mechanical, computerized hands around my head and neck. Even shaking hands with one of these mechanical Monsters can be dangerous.
If you lack the dexterity to wash your own hair, how would you go about moving a garbage can sized robot on wheels with a matching steel framed solid based chair?
This would probably be more useful in hair dressing salons ... u know, 1 less wage, 1 expensive robot.
One has to wonder... exactly what problem does this solve? In order for this to be successful commercially, it will have to cost less than the equivalent of paying someone to do the washing by hand. If you look at automatic hair driers which are fairly common in hair salons, it makes sense, because the cost of the machine is low compared to paying someone to do the job. This on the other hand I can't see ever being cost effective; the cost of the robotics, software and safety considerations are too high to make it commercially viable. Neat idea but hardly a successful, sellable product.
The reason you don't see Wallace with one of these is that the guy doesn't have any hair.
Not that's what I call multitouch! Does it run iOS 4.2?
Do you hear me panasonic? I like the hair washing machine, but I'd love relaxing instasleep more...ahhh...
...because washing your own hair is just too hard.
What's with all the comments saying that this is a silly/stupid/worthless invention? Panasonic has automated a dull task previously reserved exclusively for unskilled human labourers! This is /., when did we start longing for the manual human elements of mindless, repetitive work?
I, for one, wish Panasonic all the best in automating everyday tasks. I don't think I've seen a new machine to help with day-to-day life since the post office got an electronic stamp dispenser ten years ago. This is supposed to be the future!
When this thing has been field tested and gone down in price, you can probably find them at your local hairdresser's. Am I the only who'd like a two hour head massage for a handful of quarters?
They are really doing research for the sex toy industry... and testing the technology on body parts that are less easily injured.
This, and its usage, was pretty much covered in the latest episode of The Big Bang Theory.
Within 10 minutes of this thing going on sale to the public, somebody's gonna have their dick in it.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
imagine the possibilities for this invention for prostate cancer screenings!
No mister Bond... I expect you to die.
When this thing has been field tested and gone down in price...
I think this is the point of a lot of non-portable high-technology. You manufacture them to gain experience because maybe, just maybe, there'll soon be a market for robot servers. I mean, look at electric cars. There are a lot of companies trying to make one, and yet it's less profitable (if at all) than the standard gas/diesel models.
Japan has a rapidly aging population, so having a significant, if not exactly huge market, for service industry robots is by no means a long shot. Perhaps the future will be one robot to do them all, cut and wash your hair, give you a massage and perhaps, uhm, other things. But who knows, maybe specialist robots will be the rule. One robot to wash you hair, another to cut it, still another to give you a mani/pedicure.
Your wife or GF doesn't go to the salon just to get clean hair. She goes to get out of the house. She goes to interact and gossip with the other people there. This device will sit unused no matter how effective it is in deterging oil and dirt from hair.
For once the summary of the article on /. is less sensational than article itself.
From the article title "Panasonic unleashes 16-finger, hair washing robot" you'll expect Panasonic released a horde of 16 finger robots wandering on the streets looking to hair wash innocent victims in a "Thing" manner.
... or admire the figure-hugging white coat as it fusses over you. If not, I'm not interested.
No sig today...
Invent a hand-job machine.
With 16 fingers...
No sig today...
These robots obey the three laws, so one won't ever go bezerk and crush the skull of a human...
I think that's precisely the point. It must be relatively easy to just not give the robot enough strength to harm a skull. So, you get a almost completely safe robot that handle's people's heads.
Five years later, the population becomes ready to accept robots in their homes. This is but a stepping stone to make people feel safe:
Head wash -> back massage -> chiropraxis -> open heart operations -> brain tumor removal -> handjob.
If this thing will beat my stunningly looking hair dresser who massages my head while washing it, asks me whether it's not too hot and says that my hair is so beautiful while she plays through it with her hands looking at me in the mirror with those big bambi eyes of her.
Whenever I see fairly powerful human-interaction-robots like these I can't help myself but think of the possibilities of malice with one of those.
Take this one for instance: Imagine this one with a virus on it that reprograms it to crush your skull instead of gently massaging it.
I wouldn't want to use one, not only because of this, but for reasons I'll mention in another comment as well.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
A web interface, a sensible OS, scriptable application code, and a few security holes. Endless potential for laughs. Meanwhile, I'm still waiting for a back scratching AI. Never mind chatting through a terminal Mr Turing, when I can't tell if it's a machine or human giving me a back scratch, I'll accept that AI is really here.
unofficial hack so that it will 'wash' your pubes.
The reasons why Japanese build all these robots to deal with everyday stuff are two-fold: 1: the population is getting older, more people needed for elderly care, 2: reluctance to hire in foreign people to do that work, basically a xenophobic society getting more and more full of retired people.
This makes robot solutions bloom.
And note: I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Let's get more robots to do manufacturing, so we can do it locally and don't need to ship inferior junk from China.
I don't want a robot washing my hair. I'll either do it myself or - as a viable alternative - I'll have that cute hairdresser with that sexy grundge outfit and the punky rasta hairdo with scissors and comb tattooed on to her arm (!) wash my hair after cutting it. I bet I could get like 10 000 haircuts + washing from her for the price of that robot. ... This robot must be a insanely expensive maintenance nightmare - and it's no where nearly as attractive as aforementioned hairdresser.
Seeing this reminds me of the fact that it's not only always software developers endeavoring on notably harebrained (no pun intended) ideas.
My 2 cents.
We suffer more in our imagination than in reality. - Seneca
Will we have to tip the robot, and if so, how? Does it accept batteries?
Perry Bible Fellowship already did it.
... Perry Bible Fellowship comic!
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models are pink and have rainbows on them
Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
Just remembered an old joke:
So they bring out a new machine to cut hair, it's a box with a hole in it, you stick your head inside and it cuts the hair.
Somebody asked a question: -But everyone's head is different.
The answer was this: -Only for the first time.
You can't handle the truth.
16 Fingers, eh? If you can turn that chair around we might be in business....
Every time I'd lay my head back down into that thing I'd feel like I'm about to have root canal.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein
Amazing.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
Any ever see Wall-E and what happens when the make-up robot went bonkers? I'd like to not have one with 16 fingers around my skull. No thank you robot overlords.
Base 16?
Panasonic hasn't provided a launch date for any of the robots. An obstacle to their commercialization likes in the lack of safety standards and liability laws concerning robots that interact with humans. Clarification is needed on such issues before the robots could become products, but guidelines could be published in Japan as early as 2012.
Translation: The lawyers are hard at work on not being legally liable when the machines start ripping off heads and gouging eyes out?
That thing looks unnervingly like the rolling trash can in my garage.
We have a $20k machine that does what a person could do in about 30 seconds? Or could be resolved for weeks with a beard trimmer in under a 60 seconds? This looks like a problem that wasn't needing a solution.
Still no cure for cancer.
..from a planet that was colonized by hair stylists and phone sanitizers.
Here's a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tb627xDlqBs BBT rocks.
Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
I broke my right arm and shoulder in a motorcycle wreck.
Taking a shower and washing my hair one-armed was quite painful for several weeks until I was healed up somewhat.
And if that wasn't bad enough, try wiping your ass after a dump, with TP in your left hand when you're right handed and can't use your right arm due to it being broken and in a brace. Compound this problem with having lots of diarrhea caused by large doses of ibuprofen for the pain of your broken bones.
Fun city indeed. :-/
How could this thing possibly be cost effective? The stylist at your favorite hair place does the same job for not a very big salary, and he/she can do a lot of other stuff too. I can't help but think these things are mostly publicity stunts, although there's presumably some valuable experience to be gained in solving hard (for robots) problems.
This thing is going to be too expensive for able-bodied people to have in their home - if you have full use of your body, washing your hair is easy, and this thing would have to cost, what, thousands of dollars? The only use I can imagine is in hair salons and assisted living places. So your wife would still get to go out and interact with people... just not with the hair washer.