M3-Kindy and Noby: Japan gets two scary kid robots (video)

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Dr. Serkan Toto currently works as the first and only Asia-based writer for the TechCrunch network, mainly covering Japan-related technology and web companies for TechCrunch, CrunchGear and MobileCrunch. Serkan also works full-time as an independent web and mobile industry consultant with a focus on the Japanese market. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. Serkan... → Learn More

Remember M3-neony and M3-synchy, two humanoid robots from Japan we’ve shown you back in March? Well, it seems Japan still doesn’t have enough of creepy kid-like robots, as the so-called JST Erato Asada Project in Osaka today unveiled [JP] another two: M3-Kindy and Noby.

Similar to neony and synchy, the purpose of the new robots is to help scientists explore human cognitive development processes in children and infants through human-robot interaction and communication.

Weighing 27kg, M3-Kindy (“Kind” as in “Kindergarten”) is supposed to look like a 5-year old child (he’s pictured above). The robot boasts 109 touch sensors, 42 joints, two cameras (one for each eye), and two microphones (one for each ear).

Noby (“Noby” as in “New-born Baby), on the other hand, is an infant-like robot who even looks creepier than M3-Kindy (see pictures above and below). He weighs 7.9kg and stands 71cm tall. Noby even has 600 touch sensors in his body, next to two microphones and two cameras.

Noby is supposed to help scientists understand how a 9-month old baby develops over time.

NODE [JP] has shot many scary videos of the robots, one of which I embedded below:

Via Plastic Pals

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