U-Tsu-Shi-O-Mi is an interactive “mixed reality” humanoid robot that appears as a computer-animated character when viewed through a special head-mounted display. A virtual 3D avatar that moves in sync with the robot’s actions is mapped onto the machine’s green cloth skin (the skin functions as a green screen), and the sensor-equipped head-mounted display tracks the […]
While recent developments in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology have given humans the power to mentally control computers, nobody has used the technology in conjunction with the Second Life online virtual world — until now.
A research team led by professor Jun’ichi Ushiba of the Keio University Biomedical Engineering Laboratory has developed a BCI system that […]
In recent days, Japanese automakers have been releasing the details of concept cars to be unveiled at the upcoming 2007 Tokyo Motor Show (October 26 to November 11). Here is a roundup of some of the more fantastic designs.
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- Toyota RiN
(Toyota RiN)
Designed to promote harmony with nature and evoke a warm, fuzzy […]
On October 9, professors Atsuo Takanishi of Waseda University and Akitoshi Katsumata of Asahi University unveiled an oral rehabilitation robot, called “WAO-1″ (Waseda Asahi Oral Rehabilitation Robot 1), which is designed to help treat mouth, jaw and facial disorders by performing therapeutic face massages. In November, the developers will begin clinical testing of a prototype […]
Mayu Yamamoto, a former researcher at the International Medical Center of Japan, has won this year’s Ig Nobel Chemistry Prize for developing a method for extracting vanillin — an ingredient in vanilla fragrance and flavoring — from cow dung.
According to an AFP report, Yamamoto, who attended the award ceremony at Harvard University on October 4, […]
Optical device maker Scalar has added a limited-edition model to its line of video glasses. The Teleglass T4-N wearable monitor, which weighs 30 grams and features titanium frames by eyeglass designer Kazuo Kawasaki, was developed in cooperation with long-established manufacturer Masunaga Optical.
Teleglass T4-N connects to any NTSC-capable video player (including iPods) and delivers images […]
Employees at the Takashimaya department store in Osaka have created four reproductions of world-famous paintings using 320,000 old train tickets obtained from the nearby Nankai Namba station. The works, which include renditions of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (2.3 x 1.6 meters) and the Birth of Venus, as well as Renoir’s Dance at the Moulin de […]
A vending machine at Tokyo’s Akihabara station is now offering a limited run of canned bishoujo bread in celebration of the new Clannad TV anime series that begins October 4.
Clannad, which was first released as an interactive love adventure game (visual novel) for the PC in April 2004, follows the adventures of a high […]
Hacoa, a brand known for its high-quality, hand-made wooden keyboards and peripherals, will soon begin offering a do-it-yourself type keyboard kit that allows the purchaser to cut the keys from a plank of wood and assemble the pieces.
Yamaguchi Kougei, the wood products and lacquerware dealer based in Fukui prefecture that created the Hacoa brand, typically […]
On October 3, a team of American and Japanese researchers from the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species (New Orleans) and the Kato Ladies Clinic (Tokyo) announced success in producing what they are calling the world’s first kittens born from the frozen egg cells of a domestic cat, thanks to a special method of […]
