Heyo! I discovered Nao Robot when a demonstration of it was aired on Discovery Channel’s Daily Planet with the Nao dancing to “Sakura Sakura”. Found it neat that I felt like sharing it, especially after seeing Danny Choo’s Android Doll.
(None of the images or YouTube belong to me, they belong to their respected owners.)
Being interested in the Konami’s Busou Shinki line, to the point of seeing them in the real world, it would only be natural I share this. I want to see an actual Busou Shinki with an actual full-on AI system, or at least something that comes insanely close to doing so. Nao Robot comes close to such, and is even considered a prototype for Busou Shinkis by me. You can program this little fellow to do whatever you want and to do your bidding.
I’m pretty sure I might attract those not into Busou Shinki, nor Anime so I might as well leave some bolded points to help you out
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– Related Articles:
– Nao Robot Homepage:
http://www.aldebaran-robotics.com/en/Home/welcome.html?language=en-GB
– Nao Robot Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nao_(robot)
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– What is “Busou Shinki”, and why connect it to Nao Robot?
Busou Shinki is a line of robotic 15 cm tall female robots designed for combat or personal life. They are designed and made by Konami Japan based on a figure line, a now dead MMO – Busou Shinki Battle Rondo, two Busou Shinki Battle Masters for the PSP and even two nice Anime shows. They are given full AI and weaponry to fight on their own, as well as to be raised on their own and their master. They require charging with a gadget called “Cradle” by charging on a “platform” similar to a phone charging on a charging pad.
With that, I can easily compare Busou Shinkis with Nao Robot in ways the Nao Robot can interact with their environment. Both can be programmed and even “ordered” to do things against their own will. Of course, Nao is European and Busou Shinki is Japanese so little comparison can actually be made from a “less bias point of view” of mine.
*Note: I’m aware Nao Robot needs to be pre-programmed to do things.Â
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– What is Nao Robot?
Nao Robot is designed by Aldebaran Robotics for numerous reasons. The main reason appears to replace Sony’s Aibo dog for robotic soccer matches. Nao was designed for educational and research purposes, especially to assist those with autism.
They are able to be programmed for various tasks, for fun or to assist around with basic tasks. They are mostly seen dancing, assisting folks, while even playing musical instruments. Make-shift instruments as well. Their current purpose is to assist and to entertain while having fun.
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– How much is Nao and how can I get Nao?
From what I’ve seen, Nao ranges from 3000-15,000 Euros. Roughly $4,000 to 5000 Canadian, depending on what the actual price is. It is currently in the Beta phase, meaning that you have to enter the Developer’s Program with the highest of programming skills.
Nao Robot can also be purchased from “Robotshop” roughly for $5-17000 USD. Just not by us and quite costly from what I seen.
If information is correct, it will be made public soon. It probably has been and quickly cut off; quality over quantity. Information is loose and all over the place.
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– Why I’m Interested in Nao Robot:
I said so in my first point, but I shall say so again. I’m interested in Nao because of the whole programming and moving. You can program Nao to do just about anything that your imagination and creativity can think of. You can make it play mini-games, assist with kitchen tasks, or even with photography related things. Anything really, or so from what I seen and was advertised.
The programming isn’t the real reason. I want to see an actual robot with a full on AI adapting to every situation, basically Busou Shinki’s. Seeing Nao being able to traverse most surfaces, even obstacles has me highly curious and interested in what could be done.
From what I believe, Nao Robot makes a (near) perfect example of how to push robotics into the future, and closer into the Busou Shinki realm. They appear to be affordable to those within the niche market and to those that want to program robots for various purposes. I want to place my support wherever possible to allow Nao Robot to influence future robotics elsewhere in the world, mostly for the Busou Shinki line of course. I’m aware of the cultural differences and the differences in appearance being more for general use and not the Japanese market, yet.
I want to poke around with Nao also in a Canadian & Japanese way instead of purely sticking with the factory default settings. I would like my Nao to be aware of things not just in Europe, North American, but with other cultures and everything. Mostly from the Anime and plane realm. Pre-programming it all if I have to with what looks to be a “user friendly” program shown in the videos. It needs more than one point of view of life or else it’ll be a boring Nao bot.
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– Thoughts Without Anime:
Highly interested and curious how far Nao Robot can be taken or improved on. Without placing my Anime standards on Nao I can via it with equally high standards. I would happily play with Nao in a highly curious manner just to see what he can and cannot do. Things in rough of course, seeing as how he is a work in progress with the assistance of those enrolled in the Developer Program.
Pretty sure the novelty would wear of swiftly without my thoughts of Anime, and the look he has. If Nao could constantly adapt or even update with custom-made programs by the main research center and those enrolled would boost Nao’s “life-span” within the interest area. According to the video, it is so. You and others can swap “add-ons” onto other Nao’s.
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– What if I’m not interested in Nao, yet would like an Anime counterpart?
Each to their own. I would probably recommend Danny Choo’s Android Doll that he is currently working on. It performs within a similar manner, probably not as fall-prone and articulated. I haven’t seen it in action either, only images of it being constructed and the plans behind it. As in what he posted on his site.
Danny’s Android Doll will have “idle movement”, responses to taps on the head, while even dancing to (specific) music videos. It would also have the ability to be remotely connected to a smart phone.
I can’t fully recommend Danny’s Android Doll because it is still a WIP and I haven’t seen it in action. Once he uploads a video or performs some kind of demonstration, then I could probably recommend it to people.
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Remember how I was going on about Busou Shinki’s and charging Cradles? Compare that with this:
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– Final Thoughts:
In short – Nao looks to be an awesomely produced robot that I want right this second. Sadly, the price range is a bit too high for me to acquire and to curiously play with. I love the features and the way you can play with Nao. I hope that Nao will also influence robots within the Japan, most specifically for Busou Shinki designs. The designs might not appeal to those within the Anime realm, but it did for those wanting to program for it. I’m highly interested and want to support this robot any way I can.
To add to this, Nao Robot has an awesome balancing system that keeps itself upright. It can traverse most terrains, even rough uphill types. If it ever falls it will find its way back up onto its too feet.
If you can purchase Nao! Probably too costly, but support it any way you can! Even if it may not be of interest. The features within the needs to circulate around. I want to have Shinki Renge to be in some form of “life-likeness” in robotic form. Something to communicate to. Nao helps with that….in a way.
And not to be rude – But to those that say Busou Shinki’s can’t be done will simply be on my bad side. I don’t take well to people quoting Google, showing some form of arrogance, or saying things can’t be done when it obviously can. I dislike it when people use “being realistic” as their ill-placed barrier in their reasoning. I’ll openly shove you to the side when you say it can’t be done, you’ve been warned :P.
And ouch! That price is just brutal! I can’t afford it even if I wanted to. I might as well just go to Japan for that price. 😛
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Thanks for reading and hope you help with making Busou Shinkis real in one way or another! If you think I made a mistake or ill-informed may feel free to correct me in a polite manner. Â Â The Future is Nao!