{"id":197574,"date":"2016-03-09T19:54:09","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T19:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=197574"},"modified":"2016-03-09T19:54:09","modified_gmt":"2016-03-09T19:54:09","slug":"toshiba-has-designed-a-more-human-like-robot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/03\/toshiba-has-designed-a-more-human-like-robot\/","title":{"rendered":"Toshiba has designed a more human-like robot"},"content":{"rendered":"
Toshiba has shown off the latest generation of its Chihira robot at a trade fair in Berlin.<\/p>\n
The machine – which is designed to look as human-like as possible – has had the German language added to its repertoire.<\/p>\n
The firm also told the BBC that it upgraded the machine’s control system to make its movements smoother.<\/p>\n
However, one expert suggested the realistic appearance might not be best suited to Western audiences.<\/p>\n
Prof Noel Sharkey – a roboticist at the University of Sheffield – said he thought the machine still fell “clearly on this side of the uncanny valley”.<\/p>\n
The term refers to the fact that many people feel increasingly uncomfortable the closer a robot gets to appearing like a human being, so long as the two remain distinguishable.<\/p>\n
Toshiba brought the Chihira Kanae droid to the ITB travel expo to highlight what it hopes could become a viable product for the tourism industry.<\/p>\n
The machine has been installed at an information desk where it responds to attendees’ verbal questions about the conference.<\/p>\n
It marks the first appearance of the robot outside Japan, where it was unveiled last month.<\/p>\n
The earlier models in the series are:<\/p>\n
“We have improved the software and the hardware to [improve] the air pressure system,” explained Hitoshi Tokuda, chief specialist at Toshiba’s research and development centre.<\/p>\n
“If the air pressure is unstable, her movements become affected by vibrations. So, if the air flow is very precisely controlled, her movements are smoother.”<\/p>\n