Korean Scientists Develop Female Android

[Dave Monroe]

Korean Scientists Develop Female Android
	
By Kim Tae-gyu
Staff Reporter


Standing 1.6 meters tall and weighing about 50
kilograms, she can understand others, speak, blink
with her eyes and makes several facial expressions.

But she is not human, rather an android developed by a
team of South Korean scientists. It is only the second
time in the world that an android has been developed _
Japan made the first one.

The team, headed by Baeg Moon-hong, a senior
researcher at the Korea Institute of Industrial
Technology, Thursday took the wrap off the female
android, named EveR-1, during an exhibition at the
Seoul Education Culture Center.

EveR-1, a combination of Eve and robot, looks just
like a Korean female in her early 20s including her
shape that is benchmarked against the nation's model.

The human-sized robot can understand 400 words and
make eye contact while talking via her lips that are
synchronized with the pronunciation of words.

Fifteen tiny motors embedded into her silicon face
enable her to make a total of four expressions in tune
with as many sentiments _ joy, anger, sorrow and
happiness.

>From a distance, the android could be confused with a
real, flesh and blood human being, according to Baeg.

``EveR-1 amply demonstrates our robotic technologies
are at the forefront in the world. We will continue to
make efforts to advance,'' Baeg said.

Only Japan was faster than Baeg's team in making an
android as the country developed a life-size female
robot in 2003, dubbed ACTROID. It cannot move because
it is glued to the floor.

Neither does EveR-1. The Korean robot can move the
upper half of her body such as arms and hands but she
cannot travel because her lower half is immobile.

Baeg, who spent just 3 billion won in creating EveR-1
in a year, is looking to exceed his Japanese rivals by
making the model move four limbs by late this year.

``For now, EveR-1 can be employed as a guide robot at
museums and department stores or as an educational
model to read books to children,'' Baeg said.

``But we are looking further ahead _ we are working on
upgrading the android with the aim of making it move
its legs by the end of this year. It will be able to
sit down and stand up by then,'' he expects.

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200605/kt2006050417203910160.htm

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