New kissing robot from Japan

Serkan Toto

Dr. Serkan Toto is an independent consultant and advisor focusing on Japan’s web, mobile and social gaming industries. Based in Tokyo, he works together with financial institutions and startups worldwide. Serkan has been the Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com since 2008. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. → Learn More

Thursday, June 12th, 2008

Sega Toys today announced [JP, PDF] they will start selling a new humanoid robot in Japan, E.M.A., on September 26th. E.M.A. stands for “Eternal, Maiden, Actualization” (whatever that means).

The robot is supposed to be female and stands 38 cm tall. Sega says E.M.A. is especially remarkable because of its “glamorous body” and high level of interactivity. The robot is able to hand out business cards, it can sing and dance and walk “like a lady”.

The kiss function is especially interesting. If your head comes close to the robot, its love mode kicks in and your will receive a kiss.

The battery-powered robot is equipped with infrared sensors for obstacles, position and sound. Moveable parts include the elbow, shoulders, the waist and the knees.

The Japan-only E.M.A. will set buyers back $175. Sega says they are targeting adults in particular with their robot and hopes to sell 10,000 units in 12 months.

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