Fujitsu develops robotic care bear that giggles, snores

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

Monday, April 5th, 2010

Japan gave us one creepy robot over the weekend, but the country of kawaii hasn’t forgotten about its roots. Case in point: A new robo bear, designed by Fujitsu and especially geared towards the elderly. The yet-to-be-named robot, which follows a line of other advanced robot bears from Japan, can even snore. Isn’t that adorable?

The robo teddy boasts a total of 300 different patterns of behavior, from waving its paws, sleeping to giggling (yes, it’s a giggling bear). It reacts to human presence through motion sensors in its head and limbs and a mini camera in its nose.

Fujitsu aims at marketing the robo bear to nursing homes and schools. The robot competes with a number of other cuddly animals made by Japanese companies, for example robo seal Paro.

Via AFP BB NEWS [JP] / Picture Credit: AFP/Yoshikazu TSUNO

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