RI-MAN, the soft and cuddly robot

by Thomas Ricker posted Feb 28th 2006 at 7:50AM

With a Pillsbury Doughboy pucker sure to delight any granny, RI-MAN is the latest lifestyle-support robot destined to care for Japan's elderly. The 5-foot 2-inch, 220-pound RI-MAN features plush arms and chest perched atop a wheeled base. A 5-milimeter layer of soft silicone covers 320 pressure sensors jacketing most of the upper body including the face, arms, and chest. This allows it to perform such delicate work as lifting perplexed patients into its arms where presumably it will whisper little “coo-coo” sounds prior to crushing its victim into a liquid fuel beverage – which of course all robots will do once they obtain consciousness, right?

Filed under: Robots

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Highly Ranked

Moe @ Feb 28th 2006 7:54AM

Right.

Neutral

Cedrik @ Feb 28th 2006 7:58AM

Could it hurt if it falls on you?

I still consider robots like that the stuff of nightmares.

Neutral

Juice @ Feb 28th 2006 8:45AM

i want a robot sooo bad.

Neutral

king20878 @ Feb 28th 2006 9:03AM

Not silicon. It's silicone.
At least you didn't misuse the word "literally" in any posts recently. Then I would have to get pedantic on your ass.

Neutral

dreampc @ Feb 28th 2006 9:09AM

Japan must hate it's elderly...

Neutral

PodMonkeys @ Feb 28th 2006 9:12AM

We'll be too busy poking its plush surface to notice being crushed into liquid fuel substance. :D

Neutral

Mark S. @ Feb 28th 2006 9:23AM

Maybe it's foreshadowing, but I Googled RI Man and got this headline.

Neutral

Mark S. @ Feb 28th 2006 9:26AM

Try again. The link I found was:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5623349,00.html

Neutral

Spamalot @ Feb 28th 2006 9:36AM

This robot just needs an arm cannon
http://www.80stees.com/images/products/mega_man_hello_t-shirt_link.jpg

Neutral

Bob Gusford @ Feb 28th 2006 5:05PM

I for one welcome our new green and cuddly robot overlords.

Neutral

sentinel @ Mar 1st 2006 12:04AM

Astroboy, where are you???

Neutral

FAB1 @ Mar 15th 2006 7:59AM

Looks suspiciously like GETTER 3 - So at least the elderly will be well-protected once the subterran dinosaur empire tries to take over.

Neutral

Gray @ Apr 2nd 2006 7:36PM

I've long been suspicious of robots, pretty much ever since seeing T2.
When Dell, Microsoft and Google join forces to create SkyNet, at least the first generation of killer electronics will be cute and cuddly.
That's not so bad.

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