A robotic bear has been unveiled by the engineers at iXs Research Corporation, offering an interesting alternative to standard satellite navigation devices. Yep. They’ve shoved a GPS box inside.
The prototype robot is about a foot tall and has six joints in its arms and neck, it uses these to make gestures whilst giving spoken directions as you steer – How very backseat driver.
The robot bear even has added road safety functions including an alcohol detection sensor, if it can smell booze on your breath it’ll quickly have a word, blurting out: “You haven’t been drinking, have you?”, another sensor can detect errant driving, so if you are a tad heavy on the brakes or start swerving he’ll bring it to your attention with a”Watch out!”
Hoping to get the teddy out of prototype stage as early as next year, CEO Fuminori Yamasaki said “We want to make it more compact and offer a variety of shapes and characters”
We hear that an added bonus feature on the cuddly co-pilot creature is that a stroke on its head gets you a guide to local landmarks. Maybe.
