There was another robot exhibition in Tokyo recently (well, who's keeping track, it was just the other day that they had the swine flu bot display). It took place at the end of November and it featured a number of strange bots from all over the world. The event took place in Tokyo Big Sight and the expo itself was called International Robot Exhibition.

Here are some of the more memorable ones from the show.

You know how folks need extra help, be it around the house or as personal trainers? Well, General Robotix has pinpointed this niche market and come up with …. an exercise bot! Nicknamed Taizo, this little guy has a smiley face and soft fluffy covering over its body. Incidentally, when they put together this feet, were the creators inspired by Patch Adams?

Then there is Neko-Tencho. As you can see from this link, this utterly weird robot has been on the loose for a while. Apparently the company/creator took it out to a few select events, which included a song-and-dance show and a museum trip. The robot itself is interesting; it is basically a robot minus all the fancy human-like shape and features. Rather, it has two 'legs', a body and two arms in a skeletal form. So, to finish off its look, the creators throw on the cat suit. That's where it gets a bit weird. Is it just me or does the cat look, in its current form, seem like something out of a horror flick? If you listen carefully, he just might utter 'Redrum'. Then again, kids love silly fluffy stuff and Neko-Tencho appears to be a hit in the various spots he has been to recently.

I should also mention Manoi PF01 and AT01. These are small robots made by ROBO-Garage. These don't fall into the weird category; they have more of a 'full of win' concept attached to them. These two bots are meant for collectors and hobbyists as much. You can make them perform (more the former) fun little stuff or build them yourselves (more the latter). In case of AT01, it looks like you get your bots to partake in sports and such. Good times.

Is this the new face of PR? NEDO has created a receptionist robot in the form of … something out of an Trek episode. Admittedly, it will probably perform its function well. Thus, it is unfair to judge the little guy. On the other hand, it takes away from the human touch, doesn't it?

Oooh forget what I just said. About the human touch I mean. Folks from the University of Tokyo (specifically from their Kobayashi Laboratory) have built a human-like robot that can respond to certain phrases and words. She reacts via facial expressions and utterances to these cues. So far, so good. The programming itself that went into creating this is pretty impressive. But, as of yet, the robot in its current form is a bit frightening. You know, the unfinished look around the eyes and the mouth, the painstakingly applied lipstick and let's not forget the awful wig. I am hoping that as the guys start building on this robot, its look gets a bit less … freaky.

Link: Pink Tentacle