Panasonic To Unveil New Helper Robots

cylonlover writes "With the aging of populations in many countries around the world, particularly Japan, there are ever increasing numbers of elderly to care for, but relatively fewer younger people to do the job. Robots have long been seen as a means of filling the gap and Panasonic is set to unveil its latest technology designed to do just that. The three robotic devices set to make their debut at the upcoming 38th International Home Care & Rehabilitation Exhibition (H.C.R.2011) in Tokyo include a communication assistance robot and new models of the company's Hair-Washing Robot and RoboticBed."

Helper robots?

[PacoCheezdom]

Are there stairs in your house?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

does your grandma live with you?

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

dont make me shove you.

Re:

[skids]

Why, do they also make a "trip granny down the stairs bot"? Oh wait, we already have cats for that.

pak chooie unf

[kirkb]

I hate to let the cat out of the bag, but for for those young'uns who might not get this decade-old meme...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/33440 [newgrounds.com]

Re:

[camperdave]

I've never seen that before, so by all means - let the cat out of the bag.

Re:

[Chris Mattern]

Do not trust the helper robot. He is malfunctioning.

Re:

[Sarten-X]

I have a friend with joint problems. She has difficulty walking up stairs, so she's been considering getting a stair lift to help. There's only one problem. She's concerned that the noise would drive her up a wall.

Re:

[tehcyder]

I have a friend with joint problems. She has difficulty walking up stairs, so she's been considering getting a stair lift to help. There's only one problem. She's concerned that the noise would drive her up a wall.

Nice, but the correct idiom would be "drive her up the wall", at least in UK English.

Proposed helper robot name

[ArhcAngel]

Woman 2.0

Re:

[Ihmhi]

Oh sure, design a robot that has a segfault every time it tries to leave the kitchen.

Helper monkeys?

[ericloewe]

How come I immediately thought about "helper monkeys" instead of robot apocalypse?

Re:

[crafty.munchkin]

I also thought the same thing. I blame the Simpsons.

The wheelchairbed doesn't look all that amazing

[drinkypoo]

But it is an amazing idea. Soon, old people, and fat people, and fat old people can just roll from one piece of furniture to another, which will roll them up to the next piece of furniture...

It doesn't seem to have the right kind of wheels to be as amazing as an iBOT, but if they can lick that then they'll really change the world, for both better and worse.

Always needed a bot ..

[ackthpt]

To clean my house while I'm away.

Odd, where's all my stuff and why is the bot sporting a tattoo and gold chains?

Hair-Washing Robot

[Megahard]

"Panasonic has updated this latest model to feature washing arms with more fingers - 24 up from 16 - and improved mechanics"

Perhaps there are other markets for these robots.

Re:

[tehcyder]

"Panasonic has updated this latest model to feature washing arms with more fingers - 24 up from 16 - and improved mechanics" Perhaps there are other markets for these robots.

It would feel like three spiders wanking you off instead of two. Great.

Roujin Z anyone?

[tekrat]

Looks like Otomo was right on the money _
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roujin_Z [wikipedia.org]
BTW: this is an excellent anime film.

Re:

[severn2j]

Indeed. I always wondered if that movie was also inspiration for Katamari Damacy...

Smiley=Warm Fuzzies

[mrtumnus]

I'd be a little wary about putting my head in that thing...maybe it would be more helpful if it too had a display with a smiley face on it.

Great...

[_0xd0ad]

Just the news I wanted to hear less than a week after watching Robotropolis.

(Which sucked, by the way.)

Great movie idea

[Sir_Eptishous]

Someone needs to make a film similar to Pirana 3D, but with robots... Just totally over the top, cheezy gore, with all manner of evil robot goings on. Imagine the scene with the robot hair washer... Or the robot bed... Ouch!

Relatively?

[jeffmeden]

here are ever increasing numbers of elderly to care for, but relatively fewer younger people to do the job

I think you mean fewer younger people *willing* to do the job... There is clearly no shortage of unemployed youth in almost every market in the world.

Re:

[Hentes]

Not, it's fewer younger people relative to the number of old people. The ratio of young people and old people is getting smaller with fewer births and longer lifespan.

Is it just me?

[tehcyder]

Or does anyone else think that the HOSPI robot look like it deserves a smack in the mouth?