People-lifting android unveiled in Japan

We've already seen androids that can knock you out, but now a team of researchers from the University of Tokyo have pieced together a humanoid robot with more peaceful intentions -- or at least that's what they're hoping. Weighing in at 154 pounds and measuring just over five feet tall, the apparently unnamed droid can easily lift a 145 person out of bed or cart around heavy packages, which its creators say make it ideally suited for jobs in nursing care or the moving industry. While it's not clear how the bot feels about that pre-determined career path, we wouldn't recommend arguing with it if it one day scuffs up your furniture, or it could well put those people-lifting skills to a slightly more destructive use.

[Mort85 @ Mar 29th 2007 9:48PM]

is that 145 lbs or 145 KGs?

[ndisi @ Mar 29th 2007 10:35PM]

Don't senor citizens hate technology?

Why in my day...

[Mickey Jones @ Mar 29th 2007 11:17PM]

I, for one, welcome our body-disposing overlords.

[Kads Baker @ Mar 29th 2007 10:33PM]

I'm sorry...but If I just got out of hernia surgery to only be carried around by a robot...NO THANK YOU.

[Mike @ Mar 29th 2007 10:26PM]

Reminds me of They Live. "What's wrong, baby?"

[buystuff @ Mar 29th 2007 10:33PM]

Hector from saturn 3..

No Thanks..

[mike @ Mar 29th 2007 10:33PM]

Looks like this thing is for small women then. I hardly know anybody who weighs under 145 pounds. If its KGs, then we got a super bot on our hands. *runs off to develope kryptonite laced emp shock wave*

[Justin @ Mar 29th 2007 10:59PM]

Has it ever occured to anyone that everytime they develop some new robot that "saves humans" they never use a real human? It's always a dummy. That just shows how safe this thing is - They won't even use a real human to demonstrate.

[Michael @ Mar 29th 2007 10:59PM]

I, for one, welcome our meat-bag lifting overlords.

[2Perfect @ Mar 30th 2007 1:10AM]

Yes master, lift me as you wish.

Anyway, they don't use humans until they're absolutely sure it's safe. It's always dummies. Besides, cars are always tested with dummies. Bots are sent to planets. Never humans - not just for life saving technology, but for everything - even destructive technology isn't tested on humans ^_^

It will probably for like children or they will make it able to carry heavier weights.

[Manuel @ Mar 29th 2007 11:35PM]

Now all they have to do is tear us in pieces while we are sedated.

[Gwen from Tempe @ Mar 30th 2007 1:44AM]

I need one of them to help get my sad old carcass out of bed every afternoon.

[tmkates @ Mar 29th 2007 11:49PM]

I think its funny that they make a robot that lifts things and the first application they can think of is lifting senior citizens.

[jayk @ Mar 30th 2007 2:48AM]

I bet that 145lb robot couldn't carry my 210lb-ass through a threshold. That's commitment right there baby!

[Domester.NET @ Mar 30th 2007 3:08AM]

I hope the robot has soft hands. :)

http://www.domester.net

[Aaron @ Mar 30th 2007 4:25AM]

According to the original article, the dummy is 145 pounds, but it doesn't say how much weight the robot can lift total. However, if they're using a 145lb dummy for the demonstration, I think the robot can probably lift at least a third more than that.

[Matt Hadder @ Mar 30th 2007 5:16AM]

If I know anything about electronics this baby should be able to lift 290 pounds by this time next year and cost half as much!

145 pound lifting capacity is a good start, they'll no doubt improve the design.
(mp3 players get more storage, computers get faster, cars get um... safer?)

[BloodFalcon @ Mar 30th 2007 7:00AM]

I heard an update that claims, the Japanese have already UPDATED this robot by painting it black, adding a 120 GB HDD and HDMI.

[o0adam0o @ Mar 30th 2007 9:56AM]

I can already think of a great use for this thing:

3:45am - "Liftbot, take me to the bathroom"

No more slamming your pinky toe on the corner of beds and walls in the dark....but wait, will he have night vision? :s