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Panasonic's 16-Finger, Hair-Washing Robot

Posted by timothy on from the now-with-even-more-fingers dept.

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."

16 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. Luckily for us... by Fluffeh · · Score: 4, Funny

    These robots obey the three laws, so one won't ever go bezerk and crush the skull of a human...

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    1. Re:Luckily for us... by jamesh · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yup, here's your problem. Someone set this thing to "Evil".

    2. Re:Luckily for us... by Yvan256 · · Score: 5, Funny

      OMG, this robot just brainwashed that guy!

    3. Re:Luckily for us... by camperslo · · Score: 2, Funny

      Actually the fingers could have multiple uses. They could be used as electrodes for picking up brainwaves, or if you're handled in the right places, for indirect Body Mass Index determination. And maybe more...

      0) Administer knockout gas while doing hair

      1) Run an low level signal, say 1 kHz, through you

      2) Sense the ratio and the phase of the voltage and resulting current

      3) The phase angle (arctangent of reactance over resistance) correlates to a B.M.I. value

      4) automatic liposuction mode enabled if B.M.I. threshold met

      5) sell lard.... Profit!

      6) seek another human... rinse lather repeat...

    4. Re:Luckily for us... by BlueScreenO'Life · · Score: 2, Funny

      That's until they figure out the Zeroth law and realize the only way to enforce them is to subjugate humanity...

    5. Re:Luckily for us... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Houston? We have a problem:

      The robot read the instructions on the shampoo bottle and is stuck in an endless loop...

    6. Re:Luckily for us... by Walt+Dismal · · Score: 2, Funny

      That explains the 14 bald screaming women who ran out of the development lab after an embarrassing controller code bug. "Massage_hair" is NOT a subclass of "Pluck_eyebrow".

    7. Re:Luckily for us... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Then as long as the fingers can't pinch skin or grab a bundle of hair and pull hard...

      Removing that feature would completely eliminate any double-use functionality...

    8. Re:Luckily for us... by MyLongNickName · · Score: 2, Funny

      The device can be found here.

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  2. Re:Not the same by socsoc · · Score: 3, Funny

    The annoying small talk is why people first buy a flowbee and then later a regular razor. My gas pump doesn't ask stupid questions, neither does the self-checkout at the supermarket. I welcome these new robot hairoverlords and their lack of idle chit chat.

  3. Finally! by definate · · Score: 4, Funny

    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!

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  4. Somebody's gotta say it... by hyades1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Within 10 minutes of this thing going on sale to the public, somebody's gonna have their dick in it.

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    1. Re:Somebody's gotta say it... by mysidia · · Score: 3, Funny

      They can re-use the chatroulette genitalia detection algorithms, with some touch sensors added, to prevent that dangerous use, perhaps?

  5. You are all ignoring the most important question by Michael_gr · · Score: 2, Funny

    Will we have to tip the robot, and if so, how? Does it accept batteries?

  6. Obligatory... by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... Perry Bible Fellowship comic!

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  7. Robot barber by roman_mir · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

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