The International Robot Exhibition, aka iRex, kicked off in Tokyo last week and wrapped up over the weekend. The biannual event — the largest of its kind — showcases the latest in robotic tech, such as service robots, industrial robots and simulations systems.
More than 500 exhibitors showed off creations ranging from the incredibly useful — such as the emergency rescue humanoids created by Kawada or the powered exoskeletons by the University of Tokyo — to the incredibly odd — such as the Telenoid by Osaka University, which acts like a telephone while transmitting the human “presence.”
KUKA Robotics’ LBR iiwa robot also demonstrated its dexterity by arranging photos and Toyota’s Human Support Robot that can take small household tasks out of human hands.
One of the most memorable oddities is a Japanese-speaking Leonardo da Vinci android created by the Fujikin Carp Group. As unnerving as it might be to watch the 350-year-old inventor speak, the android serves a purpose: It’s the first in a series of realistic robots that will teach “firsthand” history to kids.
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