JAXA’s Hayabusa 2 has captured the highest-resolution image of its target asteroid, 162173 Ryugu, yet, and it shows its surface in detail. This was made possible with the spacecraft’s Optical Navigation Camera as it was flying close to the asteroid to deploy the MINERVA-II1 rovers – ROVER-1A and 1B – that have already touched down on the asteroid and are snapping photos as we speak. Continue reading for another video and more information.
Japan-based iSpace hopes to one day colonize the moon, and to kick things off, they have planned two flights using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket to transport spacecraft as secondary payloads to the lunar surface in 2020 and 2021. These spacecraft will be put into moon orbit and a second mission, should the first be successful, includes a lunar lander and rovers to explore the surface. Continue reading for another video and more information.
Photo credit: Bored Panda
When you first walk into the Henn na Hotel east of Tokyo, you’ll be greeted by motion-sensing robot dinosaurs that look to be straight from the Jurassic Park movies. These dinos process check-ins through a tablet system that also allows guests to choose which language – Japanese, English, Chinese or Korean – they want to use to communicate with them. “We haven’t quite figured out when exactly the guests want to be served by people, and when it’s okay to be served by robots,” said Yukio Nagai, manager at the Henn na Hotel Maihama Tokyo Bay. Continue reading for more things you’ll probably only see in Japan.
Japan’s Hayabusa 2 mission, which involves two landers (ROVER-1A and 1B), has officially touched down on the surface of asteroid 162173 Ryugu. They’ve been busy conducting tests as well as snapping amazing photos. The mission will soon launch ROVER-2, which will use optical and ultraviolet LEDs to locate floating dust particles. Continue reading for another video, more pictures and additional information.
This isn’t a real city in Japan, but rather one created in Minecraft, called Sayama City. You’ll find plenty of skyscrapers, LED billboards, temples / shrines, arching bridges, and even Ferris wheels. One caveat: the buildings do not have interiors, so you’ll have to leave the exploring to the streets. Continue reading for another video and more information.
Always wanted an extra pair of hands? Then look no further than Fusion, a wearable robotic device that was developed by researchers from Japan’s Keio University and the University of Tokyo. This backpack-like robot boasts two arms and a head that can be operated remotely by a human using a VR headset and controllers. Best of all, it can be used in various configurations, such as moving freely by themselves, controlled by the host, or attached to the wearers’ arms using wrist cuffs. continue reading for another video and more information.
The Amazon Echo is enough for most people, but Japan-based Vinclu has created Gatebox, a cylindrical device with a virtual Aizuma Hikari anime assistant that fulfills your requests. “The reason why we [developed] Gatebox is not because we are just pursuing entertainment or convenience. We want the characters [to] be naturally in our daily lives and spend relaxing [times] with us. ‘I want to live with my favorite character.’ We dreamed of such [a] world and we started this project,” said the company. One caveat: it’ll set you back $1,352. Continue reading for two more videos and information.
Quadcopter drones are nothing new, but this is the first to be used in this way, or so we’ve seen. Called the “Aerial-Biped,” it was designed by researchers at the University of Tokyo, and uses a quadcopter to help reduce gravity, thus staying upright on on its thin flamingo-like legs. “We aim to develop a biped robot that has the ability to display desired motions, including various dances, in addition to walking…by enabling movements that have been impossible due to the constraints of the mechanisms,” said University of Tokyo’s lead project researcher Azumi Maekawa.
Photo credit: Kimiko Nishimoto
Kimiko Nishimoto, a 90-year-old grandmother from Japan, has not been a photographer all her life, but recently picked up that hobby, along with Photoshop, and these photo manipulations are the result. In addition to becoming a social media star, this past December, she was honored in Tokyo with a gallery exhibiting her most popular works. Continue reading for more pictures and information.
If you hate washing dishes, there may be a solution, the “Kurasa Wash”. This handheld gadget by Japan-based Thanko features two crab-like arms that start spinning at the push of a button, which means all you need to do is add detergent beforehand, and rinse once all the grime is scrubbed off. When fully charged, you can expect up to 1-hour of continuous use. Continue reading for more pictures and information.