CB2 : A robot developed in Japan mimics a child
I am certainly not bored of Japan’s humanoid robots. In fact I look forward to their latest developments and creations. So for all those who share my inquisitiveness for Japan’s technological developments, here is some news on their latest humanoid robot. Named CB2 (Child robot with biomimetic body) and weighing just 33 kilogram (73 pound), this tiny android has been created by Osaka University professor Minoru Asada and his team.
Equipped with 197 pressure sensors, CB2 can recognize human touch. The Professor, who is a member of Japanese Society of Baby Science, claims that the robot has made a lot of progress since he was unveiled to the public in 2007. CB2 has taught itself how to walk with the aid of a human and can now move its body through a room quite smoothly, using 51 “muscles” driven by air pressure. The professor now has hopes that the robot will be speaking in basic sentences within about two years, matching the intelligence of a two-year-old child!
And by 2050, Asada wants a robotic team of football players to be able take on the human World Cup champions – and win. So here’s wishing the Japanese all the luck, for the 2050 championships!
Asada’s project brings together robotics engineers, brain specialists, psychologists and other experts, and is supported by the state-funded Japan Science and Technology Agency.
