CB2 baby humanoid robot
On June 1, researchers from Osaka University’s Graduate School of Engineering unveiled a robot that acts like a human infant, which they hope may one day help scientists better understand the child development process.
The researchers have named the baby robot “CB2,” and for now, it is designed to function as a 1- to 2-year-old child, gazing intently at its surroundings, squirming about on the floor and lighting up the room with child-like charm.
The 130 cm long, 33 kg robot features 56 air cylinders that serve as muscles. With cameras for eyes and microphones for ears, and with 197 tactile sensors embedded in the layer of soft silicone skin covering its entire body, CB2 is well-equipped to take in environmental stimuli. When CB2’s shoulders are tapped, it blinks as if surprised, stops moving, and turns its gaze toward the person who touched it, and when a toy is dangled in front of its eyes, it appears to devote all its energy to trying to reach for it. CB2 also has a set of artificial vocal chords that it uses to speak baby talk.
The researchers say that once CB2 is equipped with software that gives it the ability to learn, they will be very interested in undertaking the long-term challenge of teaching it how to walk and talk.
[Source: Asahi]
====================
UPDATE: Check out videos of little CB2 — whose full name is “Child-robot with Biomimetic Body.” Fans of Actroid and Geminoid might recognize one of the faces in the videos — that of robot designer Dr. Ishiguro.
Video 1: Toward the end of this report, the announcer says that within the next four years, researchers at the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) — who worked with Osaka University to develop CB2 — hope to create a slightly more advanced version of the robot that has the vocabulary and cognitive skills of a 3-year-old child. At the end of the report, the Osaka University project leader says this type of “soft” robot technology will facilitate communication between humans and robots, which will prove useful for research purposes and for developing robots that can better assist and entertain us in our day-to-day lives.
Video 2: This report also mentions that the research team hopes to eventually create a robot that children can play with.
[…] Link [via] […]
next step - incorporating this into REAL DOLLS
[…] A humanoid robot that reacts to touch and sound in the way that a baby does debuted Friday with its developers hoping it will aid research into how humans grow. [Link] […]
[…] 6 - CB2 baby humanoid robot “…it is designed to function as a 1- to 2-year-old child, gazing intently at its surroundings, squirming about on the floor and lighting up the room with child-like charm.” Too freaky for words. (tags: child human psychology developmental technology simulation toddler CB2 robotics robot Japan) […]
[…] FNN takes a look at the CB2(”CB Square”), a child-sized robot that may one day help scientists better understand the child development process: […]
Yeah, but your REAL DOLL might eventually get pregnant…and give birth to a bionic baby.
[…] Vía PinkTentacle JapanProbe […]
[…] Via Pink Tentacle […]
Michael Jackson has two of these on pre-order.
Am I the only one who thinks its cute?
I wanna play with him! :D
[…] Via PinkTentacle Tags: robot […]
It almost looks like a real one. I will keep looking at this project to see how the process of teaching will work.
Japanese infant robot is creepest bot yet…
At this point, you’ve got to think that Japan is just trying to creep us out with their robots. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this, the CB2. It’s……
Does anybody else remember the short story “The Education of Tigress McCardle”? In an over populated world, the people with the most need to limit their fecundity, are the least able to pay for such options (or understand).
[…] Detaliau paskaityti bei pažiūrėti nuotraukas ir video galima čia. […]
[…] I digress, the point of the robot is….wait, did anyone actually say WHY they built this thing? Ah yes, to better understand the child development process. Right, because rather than study actual infants, it makes sense to build a replica of one from scratch so we can program it with all the information we don’t have about how children develop and then hope it somehow figures out how to fill in the blanks. Makes PERFECT sense to me. […]
[…] CB2 (prononcer CB Square pour Child robot with Biomimetic Body) est un nouveau robot de la taille d’un enfant développé par des chercheurs de l’Université d’Osaka afin d’étudier les processus de développement de l’enfant. […]
I think this is one of the greatest technology we are seeing lately. This kind of technology gives us students one of the most important lessons we have to learn and the dificult and hard work we have to encounter at our future. I congratulate to those who made this prototype of humanoid robot. I am also a big fan of those great engineers who have in mind that anything in this world is possible.
This is quite interesting. I actually found out about CB2 on the News Channel on my Nintendo Wii console (another Japanese breathrough!). We should make a robot to observe the minds of the Japanese so WE can make highly advanced robots (e.g. Transformers!).
[…] said, as it is Japanese, it’s possible that it could just be a robot…but even then - fuckin’ […]
it would be cheaper to hook a large wire into the back of a real child.. thats an american money saving technique.
u’ve got to think outside the box peeps.
[…] Read More Other stories breaking the silence… […]