Japan makes robot girlfriend for lonely men

[BrianAlt]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25209226/

Japan makes robot girlfriend for lonely men
She is big-busted, petite, very friendly, and she runs on batteries

By Chika Osaka
Reuters
updated 11:13 a.m. ET, Tues., June. 17, 2008
TOKYO - She is big-busted, petite, very friendly, and she runs on batteries.

A Japanese firm has produced a 15-inch tall robotic girlfriend that kisses on command, to go on sale in September for around $175, with a target market of lonely adult men.

Using her infrared sensors and battery power, the diminutive damsel named "EMA" puckers up for nearby human heads, entering what designers call its "love mode."

"Strong, tough and battle-ready are some of the words often associated with robots, but we wanted to break that stereotype and provide a robot that's sweet and interactive," said Minako Sakanoue, a spokeswoman for the maker, Sega Toys.

"She's very lovable and though she's not a human, she can act like a real girlfriend."

EMA, which stands for Eternal Maiden Actualization, can also hand out business cards, sing and dance, with Sega hoping to sell 10,000 in the first year.

Japan, home to almost half the world's 800,000 industrial robots, envisions a $10-billion market for artificial intelligence in a decade.

[BrianAlt]

Oh, the picture...

[kattywhompas]

looking at this reminds me of something I saw on the interesting pictures from the internet thread....

[BrianAlt]

Another lovely pic...

[ryanknapper]

Do they know that they have a steeply declining birth-rate? This cannot be helping.

[LArciniega]

$175 for a 15" robot that only kisses you! Does that thing come with a vagina? Does it dispense beer? Tell me it atleast vacuums. $175 is way too much, I can get a street hooker for $50 and atleast she'll throw in the clap for free.

[hypercrypt]

But that "girl" is so hot! Where can I buy one?

[xDustfingerx]

WTH is wrong with people, at least make this stupid thing clean my house!