Researchers have created a human-like robot that mimics a child's behaviour in order to train dentists.
Tmsuk, a dental school, and robotics firm situated in Tokyo, Japan, developed it to mimic crucial symptoms like vomiting, fits, and sobbing.
It's called Pedia Roid, and it's controlled by a tablet that's been designed to trigger various responses. This causes movement and other expressions by sending signals to air cylinders in the silicon robot's joints.
The robot is directed at both dental and medical students during their training. Developers said it helps to fill a gap where there are ‘few opportunities for clinical training for children in the field of medical education.
Developed by Showa University’s Department of Orthodontics, other symptoms the robot imitates include:
- Emotional expressions, such as pain and crying
- Coughing, sneezing, and vomiting.
- Body movements such as writhing, flapping arms and legs, tonic and clonic spasms
- Change in face color and facial expression
- Eye movements, including the opening and closing of eyelids
- Different breathing, such as wheezing and auscultation of lung sounds.
The robot is 110cm tall and weighs 23kg. It is modeled after a toddler aged five to six years old. The doll currently costs roughly 25 million Japanese yen, which is more than £150,000.
Source: Dailymail