Robotic rings turn your fingers into a face

Keio University's robotics group have demonstrated a set of remotely-controlled facial elements designed to be worn as rings. These could be directly controlled by the wearer, or could be remotely controlled by a piece of software that was portraying a character that inhabited your hand like a sock-puppet or Senor Wences.

"First of all, this device resembles a toy. So we want to make it more like a character, like when children or their parents play finger games. That would enable a new form of interactive play. We'd also like to incorporate this robot into the way children use their hands to communicate with each other."

Robotic rings for wearable robotic interaction (via Neatorama)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: affective computing • chi • Gadgets • Japan • Kids • robotics • scholarship • video • youtube

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http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=718850642 Rob Kelsall

Cant help but feel its the next step in butchering a furby!
http://www.instructables.com/image/F50U5Y1J5HET2JYK7H/Furby-Hijack.jpg
- RadioSilence
  
  I immediately thought they looked like spare parts from a furby.
Cognitect

From now on, when somebody tells me to “talk to the hand”, I’ll have to look at their hands to figure out if they mean it literally. So awkward.
Sparrow

I immediately thought of
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mostlymuppet/91492604/
Keith Anselm

I think this would absolutely terrify a number of dogs I know.
Henry Pootel

Who says just for the hand?
http://noctilucent-studios.blogspot.com/ Noctilucent Studios

Cheap parlour trick.
http://twitter.com/TerryBorder Terry Border

For the times when having a life-size doll isn’t convenient. Perhaps when traveling.
http://twitter.com/trempls tré

Oobi? Is that you?
Karnuvap

I for one welcome our new digital overlords

(… geddit?)
Amy W

“We are helping, we’re helping hands!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRiH8INKjuw
http://twitter.com/beep54orama B E Pratt

Since Señor Wences is mentioned in the article, I think now would be a wonderfully appropriate time to turn ‘wences’ into a verb somehow, if nothing else to keep his memory alive. He delighted me as a child, but I fear far to many younger people would have no clue as to who is is. The man lived to an astonishing age of 103, so perhaps hand puppets can keep you healthy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%B1or_Wences
IndexMe

This could be worn by children and pets too.
Then they could get all smart-alecky or nightmarish channeling AI life from the intertubes. not something I’m looking forward to.
monkey

these guys really need to talk to the folks at jim henson’s creature shop. they are way ahead on the technology and the cuddly looking interface already. those detachable features kind of scare me. they are the kind of thing that could easily scar a poor child for life – it’s just a few bad dreams away from pan’s labyrinth.
Andy Simmons

It should be noted that playing finger games with children is a felony in most states.
http://www.geekforce.com Hugh Johnson

“My name is Hennifer Yopez, I eat Tacos and Burritos.”