If you happen to be shopping in Japan anytime soon, prepare yourself. You may run into the stuff of nightmares. Toshiba has just installed Aiko Chihira, a humanoid greeter robot, at Tokyo’s Mitsukoshi department store. They are always rolling back prices. And your sanity. Always.
This automaton can’t respond to questions or complaints yet, but it can handle both spoken and sign languages. It is both unsettling and creepy.
This kimono wearing robot will guide you around the store as you wonder why it hasn’t killed you yet and watch your back for other robots. As it does so, it will blink and smile. Surely the killing blow must be coming soon. You scan the store for humans packaged along a wall in cling wrap, but apparently the victims are too well hidden. Will you get out alive? I’d say your odds are 50/50.
[via Engadget]
