The smartest autonomous robots in the world prepare for one of the most important robot competitions in the world, the World Cup of RoboCup.

Brilliant minds from all round the globe build soccer-playing-robots and compete in the RoboCup, to promote the development of artificial intelligence. This year, the weekend-long contest was held in the Austrian city of Graz and the protagonists tried to put on a show worth watching.

The Soccer World Cup for robots is not as young an event as you might think. It dates back to 1993 and, across the years, it took place in countries like Japan, Italy and USA. There are different league matches, from the standard to the smaller than 180 mm league.

In one of the leagues, teams use identical robots, and have the task of developing a software that can allow the machines to move autonomously. The dream of the developers is to one day create an entire team of autonomous robots that can defeat the human winners of the Soccer World Cup.

Photos by Reuters

via Telegraph.co.uk

Wataru Itou, a talented art student from Tokyo, spent 4 years of his life building this trully incredible paper castle.

Named Umi no Ue no Oshiro (A Castle on the Ocean), this paper craft castle features electric lights and even a moving train, made of paper. It is set on exhibit at Uminohotaru, a service area between Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture and you can check it out with Google Earth.

Whether you’re a fan of paper craft or not, you must admit this paper castle is wonderful work of art. The Japanese like to take their time (see the LEGO Yamato Warship), but at least they deliver.

via Tokyobling

With the unveiling of the real-life RX78 Gundam in Tokyo, people have been going crazy over this Japanese icon, but some of them have really lost their minds.

Like the guy who made this girly, pink Gundam action-figure. All I can hope for is that a girl is behind this, maybe she was inspired by a trip to the Hello Kitty Castle…But if it’s a guy, the only thing I can say is WTF DUDE?!?

This isn’t some kind of coffee filter designed to look as a robot. This thing really makes coffee just like we humans do.

Designed by Clockwork,  a Japanese dude who’s into manga and robotics, the coffee-making robot uses 20 digital KRS-788HV servos, a servo motor, both controlled by a PCB located in its head. The photos don’t say much about this little Japanese coffee making robot, but you can see it in action if you scroll to the video at the bottom.

Also head over to clockwork.shikisokuzekuu.net for more pics and info (if you speak Japanese).

via Geek Alerts

LEGO artist Nathan Sawaya unveiled his latest masterpiece, a life-size LEGO Cello

Not much has been revealed about this amazing LEGO instrument. All we know is the cello is actually playable and sounds a lot different than a real cello. Check out the video at the bottom to see mister Sawaya building the LEGO cello brick by brick.

While not as big as the LEGO Japanese warship, this cello is a true work of art.

via Brick Artist

We’ve already posted some photos of the completed life-size RX78 Gundam, during the day, now we though you might enjoy seeing it in action at night.

Just like the Japanese said, the real-life Gundam in Odaiba’s Shiokaze Park has lights radiating from various body-parts, which make it look way much cooler when the sun sets. Check it out:

via Pink Tentacle

Gundam fans all over the world, rejoice! The life-sized RX78 Gundam robot has been completed and is expecting visitors.

Just like the Hello Kitty Castle in Shanghai, China, might become a pilgrimage site for pink-loving girls, Tokyo’s RX78 could turn into the same thing for robot-anime enthusiasts. Announced back in March, as a way of celebrating 30 years since the debut of the Mobile Suit Gundam anime series, the 1:1 sale Gundam has just been completed.

The RX78 Gundam towers 18 meters, features a movable head, 50 light-radiating points on his body, and shoots smoke from various fiberglass-reinforced plastic parts. The popular mech will be watching over Odaiba’s Shiokaze Park until August 31st. Hopefully they’ll just move it somewhere else after that, because depriving Gundam fans of such a symbol would be a regular crime.

Some might think the RX78 Gundam looks a bit too retro for 2009, but it’s a regular icon in Japanese culture, so choosing what model to build was never in question.

See even more photos at pyunari part 1 and pyunari part 2

Finally, the world-famous Japanese character gets a proper home…in China.

Now loyal Hello Kitty fans from around the world can start their pilgrimage to the Hello Kitty Castle that was inaugurated in Shanghai. Not much I can say about this place, it’s very pink and girly-like and, judging by the popularity of Hello Kitty, it might just become the new Mecca.

One thing that would fit perfectly in the Hello Kitty Castle is the Hell-Kitty Rifle, an AR-15 rifle personalized by a Californian weapon enthusiast.

via China.org.cn

make your photos look like they’re from Google Streetview with just a little tape, cardboard and acrylic. That’s how these Japanese dudes did it and it looks kick-ass. Those of you familiar with Streetview will see the photos these boys made look just like the real thing. Head over to the original source if you want to learn exactly how they did it.

via Daily Portal

They look delicious, but no, they’re not edible.

Before you run down to your nearest sports shop, asking for a pair of Asics Gettry Procourt AR sneakers, you should know they have only been released in Japan. This fast-food-inspired line of footwear is a collaboration between Asics and Japanese retailer Gettry. It comes in all the colors associated with hamburger ingredients (meat, cheese, ketchup, lettuce, mustard), has french-fries printed on the insoles, and the perforated front resembles a fresh bun.

The Asics Hamburger Sneakers retail at 14,700 Yen ($155).

via Eat Me Daily

Japanese lingerie maker Triumph seeks to raise awareness to Japan’s failing marriage rate, with its ‘husband-hunting bra‘.

Yes, I know it’s the ugliest bra you’ve ever seen, but don’t worry, you’ll never get to see your girlfriend/wife wearing one, since it will never hit the stores. This bizarre piece of underwear, presented by lingerie model Hiromi Nishiuchi, features a timer between the cups. This represents the wearer’s biological clock, and should be set to count down to the deadline set for marriage. When the woman finds that special someone and is proposed to, she should take the ring and insert it into the slot above the clock. The countdown stops and a wedding march tune begins.

Don’t worry, it’s not like you blow up if you don’t get married until the set time runs out, the husband-hunting bra is just a nice way to pressure you into getting married until it’s too late. Statistics say the age of the average Japanese bride is 28 or over.

Photos by Getty Images

via Zimbio

How long would the legendary Japanese Warship Yamato be, built out of LEGO bricks?

That’s the question Jumpei Mitsui asked himself since he was a young boy. Now a third year student, Jumpei has answered his own question by building a LEGO model of the Yamato. It took the young Japanese 6 years and 4 months to finish his masterpiece, using 200,000 LEGO bricks.

The LEGO warship is built at a scale of 1/40, weighs over 150 kilograms, measures 6.6 meters from bow to stern and is 1 meter wide at the widest point of the ship.

Jumpei Mitsui finished the LEGO Yamato on April 9, 2009 and he deserves our congratulations. Well done my friend.

Check the link at the bottom for more photos.

via geocities.jp

It might sound like a futuristic invention, but Sanyo presented its washing-machine for humans way back in 1970.

Officially named Ultrasonic Bath, this human washing machine was introduced as a concept at the 1970 World Expo in Osaka. It was about 2 meters tall and the bather had to use a ladder to get in. After the desired water temperature was set, the 15-minutes-washing process would begin. First a 5-minutes pre-rinse cycle, spraying the baither with jets of hot water. After that the pod-shaped washing-machine filled up with water and a 3-minute massage-bath began. The soothing massage was supposed to stimulate blood circulation while cleaning your body. A 2-minutes rinse process followerd, and finally a 5-minutes drying program, in which warm air blasted the user, while infrared and ultraviolet light killed any remaining bacteria.

Unfortunately the Sanyo Ultrasonic Bath never made it into our homes, but the Japanese company did release HIRB (Human In Roll-lo Bathing), a compact washing machine for humans, used in elderly homes.

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People love sex and zodiac predictions, so why not mix the two?

Unfortunately the funny-looking Astrology Condoms are the product of a very small Japanese company called  Yamashita Latex, and can only be found in some shops around Japan. The company doesn’t even have a website where you can order their products. You won’t find Astrology Condoms in any Western country, so if you have friends in Japan call them and ask them to send you some.

I have to admit this is a great way to market your condoms.

via Condomunity

Some people love anime heroes that much.

We all know how popular anime are worldwide, but especially in the coutry that invented them, Japan. Known as Itasha, the art of covering the body of a car with fictional anime characters, is very popular in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Gatherings to show off the coolest Itasha cars are held regularly, and the latest was organized in Nagara town, just north of Tokyo. Called “Winter 2009 Itasha Collection“, it was held on January 25 and brought together over 150 cool cars. A 20 million-yen Itasha car was reportedly also presented there.

Source [Mainichi via Bouncing Red Ball]