Mouth Robot Croaks a Nursery Rhyme, Provokes Nightmares

[The Straight Story]

Several years ago, researchers in (you guessed it) Japan put together a reasonable facsimile of the human vocal apparatus in an attempt to help hearing-impairing people learn to better modulate their voices. The details of how this process works can be perused here, but we’d just like to treat you to a trailer of this creepy little puppy in action, moaning the nursery rhyme “Kagome, Kagome,” before some major film studio options it for a B-grade horror flick. Titles, anyone?


http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2011/07/14/mouth-robot-croaks-a-nursery-rhyme-provokes-nightmares/

That thing looks....well, weird :evilgrin:

[CTyankee]

1. Oy...

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Not quite 'oy'...

...more like 'ahhheeeeeeyaaaaahhhh,' etc.

[digonswine]

2. Reproduction of vowels and how they come from deep in the throat is cool--

They should have had it coming form that Snuggle(TM) bear or something!

[MineralMan]

6. It was very interesting to watch. If they cover it with some furry

stuff and hide the mechanism, it wouldn't be that scary. There are a couple of other videos also, at that link, that show up after the video ends. Also interesting.

[kentauros]

4. They need to find a way of silencing the actuator rods.

But the concept is fascinating!

It reminds me of some experimental music that uses hollowed out blocks of acrylic to mimic the same sounds. I can't find that online right now because I can't remember who did it or what it's called...

[Aerows]

5. Is it just me

or does that thing look like something "Loving Liberally" will soon be advertising on DU?

[QC]

10. It's not just you. n/t

[Enrique]

7. headline of the day

:toast:

[Rex]

8. Wow, that is one tone deaf robot!

That's okay, our soon to be robot masters will have us singing and dancing for their 'amusement'! 2012.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. Must. Not. Think. Perverted. Use. Must. Not.

[NYC_SKP]

11. ...... No WAY I'm the only one who thinks this looks like a wacky Sexual Device....

...No Way!