Seattle Post-Intelligencer: AP – High-Tech

Japan co. unveils walking robot

Nuvo, a prototype of a human-shaped walking robot developed by a Tokyo-based ZMP, walks on the stage while showing its back during a press unveiling in Tokyo Tuesday, March 2, 2004. The 39-centimeter-tall (15-inch-tall) Nuvo walks on two legs, picks itself up when it falls, recognizes voice commands such as “advance” and “stop,” and relays images of its surroundings to a videophone from Japan’s top mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo. ZMP, which has so far only made robots for research and rental, said the new Nuvo model will be mass produced for sale at 500,000 yen (US$4,600) by the end of the year. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)

TOKYO — A Japanese company unveiled on Tuesday a prototype of a human-shaped walking robot it said will be mass produced for sale at $4,600 by the end of the year.

Tokyo-based ZMP, which has so far only made robots for research and rental, expects to sell about 3,000 of the new Nuvo model, which will be manufactured by another company. The manufacturer and sales network have not yet been decided, ZMP president Hisashi Taniguchi told reporters at a Tokyo hall.

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