- Source:
- @A_says_ / © MaSiRo Project
- Tags:
- maid robot / MaSiRo / MaSiRo Project / Niconico Chokaigi / Robot / robot maid
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If you're a fan of Japanese games, manga and anime, chances are you've seen robot maids before. Multi in To Heart, Mahoro in Mahoromatic, Cyberdoll May in Hand Maid May are a few who come to mind. But what if you could have a robot maid in real life? This is the question and current passion fueling the creative efforts of Japanese robot hobbyist A_say.
MaSiRo Project
At the most recent Niconico Chokaigi festival, A_say demoed the latest iteration of his MaSiRo Project, which stands for: "Maid Apprentice Substantializing Ideal Robot."
According to his website, he dreams of a world where each household would have its own robot maid. However, as it would be very difficult to develop a robot maid which could actually move around and perform tasks in an entirely new and unknown place, he wants to set up a limited environment where robot maids can fully operate. In practice, this would take the form of a cafe entirely staffed by robot maids who have unique and individual personalities.
MaSiRo at Niconico Chokaigi
Those who were reviewing the information online for the Niconico Chokaigi's booths were probably intrigued by the following entry entitled: "I made a beautiful robot girl who you can hold hands with":
"Why don't you hold hands and walk with a beautiful robot girl at Chokaigi?
Hand-holding robot MaSiRo is an independently built robot who will follow you if you hold her hand.
With her warm hand clasping yours in return, her liquid crystal eyes returning your gaze and her surprisingly smooth locomotion, it's an emotional experience you can't understand unless you take her by the hand. You'll definitely want to experience it for yourself!"
Hands-on with MaSiRo
Whether they had read the announcement or heard the staff calling out: "Come and hold hands with a robot," many curious attendees stopped by to spend time with MaSiRo (pronounced mashiro) during the two days she attended the festival.
Here she is interacting with a Hatsune Miku cosplayer:
"A_say's (@A_says_) MaSiRo-chan. A robot you can hold hands with and take for a walk. You could take pictures of her at Chokaigi. That part where she turns to face Miku instead of the camera [taking our picture], isn't it so cute??"
Just checking to see if she's really a robot?
"Good morning. | It's cold! | But inside the exhibition hall, the temperature is perfect... | Today, too, we plan on going around Halls 9 and 10. | I'm concerned about my staff's fatigue, so we may take more frequent breaks. | Photo: MaSiRo (@A_says_). Miku lifting up her skirt."
Popular Vtuber NoraCat also seemed to show a keen interest in MaSiRo.
"Thank you so much, NoraCat (@VR_Girl_NoraCat). I had various hardships at Chokaigi but in the end, I'm so glad I went. | Her partner is "Hand-holding robot MaSiRo." The creator A_says (@A_says_) assisting."
They hit it off so well that they even "synced up directly"...
"Connected. Transmission rate good."
MaSiRo also interacted with KeroKerobot...
And she was even popular with the muscular performance group ALL OUT, who, as we reported last month, are making themselves available to lend a strong hand at summer festivals this year:
MaSiRo not only appealed to the participants' sense of sight and touch, but also their sense of smell, thanks to perfume specially developed by Hiroko Ashiyama:
"Photo opp with Hiroko Ashiyama who developed MaSiRo's perfume! | Thank you so much. | As far as I investigated, I think this is the first time in the world that perfume has been used on a robot the same way it's used on human beings!"
She was just as popular with boys as she was with girls. Everyone was eager to take MaSiRo for a walk around the exhibition halls.
"Even between girls | (permission granted to post)"
Technical Details
Photo by A_say (@A_says)
For more details, you can visit A_say's project page, but here are MaSiRo's specifications in a nutshell:
Capabilities
Specifications
Sources
Feature demonstration videos
Natural movement while following
MaSiRo could already swing her arm while walking, but now she has a more subtle head movement as well.
"Using the same structure, it's very hard to notice in this video, but she can move her head slightly up and down when she's moving. | Compared to when her head was completely still, it looks a bit more like she's walking."
Crouching
"When you want her to crouch from a standing position | If you gently touch the sensor on her shoulder | she'll crouch naturally."
Depth camera system
"Currently developing the depth camera system to be installed in MaSiRo. | I will make it so she will gaze at the closest object and obtain the position of a smartphone taking her picture through the yaw and pitch angles captured by the depth camera."
Testing:
"Installed the program allowing her to follow the closest objects with the depth camera! | Straightening up from a crouching position when you hold her hand. | She isn't recognizing my face, but she's looking this way with a high degree of accuracy. | The eyes are not yet in sync but | Wow, this is pretty good..."
Head patting
"I equipped MaSiRo with a head patting feature | When you pat her head, she looks happy | Cute"
Gallery
Here are a few cute pictures of MaSiRo reproduced here with permission from A_say:
Photo by A_say (@A_says)
Photo by A_say (@A_says)
Information
If you'd like to follow the latest developments of the MaSiRo project, you can follow A_say on Twitter or check his project page for updates.
Collaborators and supporters wanted
A_say has been running the MaSiRo project by himself thus far, but if you have any experience in control systems, machines, costume design or modeling and are interested in collaborating with him, if you'd like to support MaSiRo with a financial donation, or if you have any inquiries about his work, please contact him at the following email address:
Contact: masiro.project＠gmail.com