Aug 7 2007Wakamaru Receptionist Robot
While receptionist robots are nothing new, bright yellow ones that sing cheerful songs are. Developed by Mitsubishi, a number of Wakamaru robots (Japanese for delightful yellow punching bag with kick action detachable head) have been purchased by temp agencies in the country for use as dispatch workers. The highlights of the robots capabilities include:
Face recognition (search for and follow faces), Basic manual tasks, Good listener (voice recognition capabilities), Good verbal skills with customers (vocabulary of 10,000 words), Sings cheerful songs, Escort visitors to different destinations within your office building
I don't know about you, but this thing sounds like a dream come true for the office. Nothing quite says "I had a great day at work" like dropkicking the head off of a $15,000 robot because it wouldn't stop singing long enough to make coffee. And $15,000? I guarantee my live in girlfriends would do a better job, and I pay them with scratch and sniff stickers.
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Reader Comments
1. SuperStoned420 - August 7, 2007 10:56 AM
About fucking time. Now I don't have to get a girlfriend to listen to me bitching about how i have to jerk myself off to sleep at night.
2. Manuel Gonzales - August 7, 2007 11:14 AM
Nice overbite.
3. MobiusStrip - August 7, 2007 11:14 AM
And as you enter work for another pleasant day at the office, it serenades you with a traditional Japanese folk song:
Nuapurista kuulu se polokan tahti
jalakani pohjii kutkutti.
Ievan äiti se tyttöösä vahti
vaan kyllähän Ieva sen jutkutti,
sillä ei meitä silloin kiellot haittaa
kun myö tanssimme laiasta laitaan.
Salivili hipput tupput täppyt
äppyt tipput hilijalleen.
4. Phil - August 7, 2007 11:58 AM
Looks like some frightening Pokemon character.
5. Joe Mamma - August 7, 2007 1:27 PM
Why not just have a terminal that does the same thing. Why does it have to be in the form of these ugly ass robots. Until it starts walking around and able to move on its own, I do not consider it a robot.
6. caleb - August 7, 2007 1:30 PM
MY question is "Will it lie and tell that I'm in a meeting if I don't want to talk to them?" I didn't see that aspect covered in the polite japanese press release. And will it shoo away the homeless people that wander into my office?
7. emily - August 7, 2007 4:49 PM
i'm kind of oddly attracted to it.
8. buzz_clik - August 7, 2007 6:25 PM
#7 - I don't think it's that odd. It's certainly more realistic and alluring than my Real Doll.
Uh, did I say my? I obviously meant A Real Doll.
9. joflo - August 7, 2007 8:49 PM
something about that robot screams "kill you in your sleep"
no thanks.
10. Lhyzz - August 8, 2007 12:49 AM
"Nothing quite says "I had a great day at work" like dropkicking the head off of a $15,000 robot because it wouldn't stop singing long enough to make coffee."
I don't usually comment on the color commentary, but that sentence is so evocative!
11. Pastor Al - August 8, 2007 9:43 AM
Those things are freakin' creepy!