New life has been breathed into Asia’s oldest “modern” robot, an 80-year-old golden-skinned humanoid from Osaka. Gakutensoku, a 3.2 meter (10 ft 6 in) tall automaton powered by compressed air, can tilt its head, move its eyes, smile, and puff up its cheeks and chest as instructed — just as it did 80 years ago — thanks to a 20-million-yen ($200,000) computer-controlled pneumatic servo system that replaces its original system of inflatable rubber tubes.
Built in 1928 by biologist Makoto Nishimura, Gakutensoku was first exhibited in Kyoto as part of the formal celebration of the Showa Emperor’s ascension to the throne. The robot traveled to a number of expos and wowed onlookers with its mad calligraphy skills before going missing in Germany. After a long disappearance, Gakutensoku was located and later repatriated to Osaka.
The reanimated Gakutensoku will star as the main attraction at the newly renovated Osaka Science Museum beginning July 18.
August 28, 2008 at 7:44 pm |
This sucks, it is the gayest puppet I have ever seen.
August 28, 2008 at 9:33 pm |
It has ‘mad skills’ lt can draw one hell of a liger.
October 20, 2008 at 11:17 pm |
I WANT TO KNOW IF THIS ROBOT CAN PREFORM SEX ACTS? I WOULD FUCK THIS JAPANESE BITCH SO HARD MY COCK WOULD EXPLODE ITS CRANIUM.