Never go dateless to a prom again. Nomura’s Partner Ballroom Dance Robot (PBDR) first made its appearance at Japan’s EXPO 2005. This past weekend, the PBDR showed up at Wired Magazine’s NextFest in New York City. These $300,000 battery-powered prototypes can anticipate and match their partners’ dance steps by use of force and torque sensors.
Developed at the The Kosuge-Wang Laboratory located at Tohoku University, Nomura also hopes that someday their ladies will assist the infirm and elderly by walking with them. I wonder if one of them could take my dog for a leisurely stroll around the park and anticipate the use of a pooper scooper.