Japan’s Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute (ATR) has unveiled robovie mR2 [JP], a cute desk robot that stands just 30cm tall and weighs 2kg. The cool thing is that users can place an iPod touch in his chest to control the robot (via Wifi or by touching the screen).
ATR says he can use “information gathered with the iPod by means of gestures”. Other features include a CCD 3.4MP camera, two microphones, a mono speaker (2W), 18 joints (3 in each eye), and 18 servo motors. The robot can also be controlled via Bluetooth.
ATR says the goal with robovie mR2 was to design a „likeable“ robot with particularly cute looks. The institute might actually commercialize the humanoid in the future.
Here’s a short demo video (with English subs) showing robovie mR2 in action:
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