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Toyota's new robot

David Pescovitz at 12:17 pm Tue, Sep 25, 2012

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This is Toyota's new arm-wresting robot. Apparently, its other application is for "human support" such as assisting disabled people and caring for the elderly in their homes. The robot's body can raise up and down and its tablet head is well-suited for telepresence. Toyota's Human Support Robot (via IEEE Spectrum)

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

MORE:  robots • telepresence

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  • http://www.appliedesoterics.com bfarn

    He looks like he’s waiting for his momma robot to come and drop batteries in his mouth!

  • Chuck

    Ah — so it can break your arm and assist you afterward?  (Sounds like how some people operate.)

    • Antinous / Moderator

      Put it up against Denis Cyplenkov and see whose arm gets broken.

  • fuzzyfuzzyfungus

    Perhaps Toyota should consider a variant model with taser and pepper spray modules for the burgeoning old-people-in-american-prison market…

  • http://imcravingpresidency.tumblr.com/ SedanChair

    Apparently, its other application is for “human support” such as assisting disabled people and caring for the elderly in their homes.

    Translation: this robot is for wiping butts

  • http://www.facebook.com/frank.xavior.1 Frank Xavior

    Misread as ‘Arm Wrestling’ robot.
    disappointed.

  • jackrabbitslim

    This thing looks uncannily like at least one of the robots in WALL-E. Parallel evolution? Platonic forms? Maybe there are only so many ways to build a garbage can with an arm and a face on top.

  • http://www.microsourcing.com/ MicroSourcing

    It would be great if Toyota can develop this robot further so that it can be used in homes for the aged and for the disabled. Carrying immobile elderly people, for instance, is a tedious task for a lot of caregivers and Toyota’s robot can help in that area.

    • Jenz Seeger

      “Carrying immobile elderly people…”Right, many caregivers ruin their backs lifting people.

      But this wittle robot is weights ”only” one 32kg. To lift people you have to be a bit bigger…
      :-(

  • pjcamp

    Arm rasslin the old folks — now that’s a robot!

    Oh. Never mind.