A child looks at Yotaro, a robotic infant developed by the robotics and behavior sciences laboratory of the University of Tsukuba to simulate the behavior of a real human child. Yotaro has a touch-sensitive face, artificial tear ducts that release warm water when the robot is "crying" and a built-in speaker that can replicate the giggles of a happy baby. It can also change its facial expressions, sleep, sneeze, wiggle its arms and legs, and run a fever. Researchers say Yotaro was designed to help young parents to learn about raising a baby.
© Japan TodayRobotic baby
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12 Comments
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some14some
Using high cost Baby Diaper?
cactusJack
...and you can leave it in the car when you play pachinko.
HonestDictator
Oh almost missed the part of the caption that said "Yotaro was designed to help young parents to learn about raising a baby." I was about to say, last thing the Japanese need is a robotic baby.
Still it would be more effective if they made the robot more baby sized and realistic than oddly shaped... being kawaii isn't the main thing with having children, its about raising the child and preparing them to become a healthy, hopefully productive, responsible human being to join human society as a whole. Love, discipline, and wisdom are 3 of the main things as well as a desire for knowledge to ready a child for their developing life.
NeoJamal
Mum: "Yotaro say hi to your new little brother Hayley Joe Osmont"
PleasureGelf
Finally, robotic beings rule the world!
Monkeyz
Perhaps it would just be better to get some of those "baby think it over" robot babies like high schools in the US have.
skipbeat
The egg is cheaper to pretend being a mom and dad if young parents need to learn about having a child.
If people want practice then they should volunteer at a daycare for one week and get real life experience instead of looking after a robotic baby or watch a neighbor, a family, or a friend's baby.
illsayit
The robot cant even cry, its fake hopeless standard setting piece of crap-and if it was even that, at least it would be realistic to the nose. Id say someone with some money and time to spare is trying to encourage their wife/daughter/family into having a child. What happened to romance?!
nath
the height of naivete
smithinjapan
Yotaro needs to lose a little weight. Anyway, he looks like nothing but a glorified night-light.
paulinusa
Just about the silliest thing I've ever seen. Next stop for this baby should be Kiddyland.
Disillusioned
This will be trouble for many Japanese. How can they burn its feet, put it in a garbage bin, throw it around the room or lock it on the balcony? On the other hand, it is probably the perfect child for many.