Sdtrk: ‘Never understand’ by the Jesus and Mary Chain

Stumbled across this encouraging article on a new blog called The Fembot Chronicle, which in turn got it from Pink Tentacle, which in turn obtained it from the Yomiuri shimbun. That’s a lot of turning.

Robot beauty goes skin-deep

In a move that could provide a crucial boost to our robotic friends struggling up the near side of the Uncanny Valley, major cosmetics manufacturer Kao Corporation and a Keio University research team led by robotics professor Takashi Maeno have developed an artificial skin that feels just like human skin.

Skin, the largest organ of the human body, consists of a soft layer of tissue (dermis) covered by a tougher protective layer (epidermis). The artificial skin developed by Kao and Keio mimics the feel of human skin with a 1-cm thick “dermis” of elastic silicone covered by a 0.2-mm thick “epidermis” of firm urethane. Countless tiny hexagonal indentations etched into the urethane epidermis provide it with a very realistic texture.

In a series of unscientific tests, 10 out of 12 people who touched the skin thought it felt like human skin, while equipment designed to measure the mechanical properties of skin confirmed the artificial skin had characteristics resembling human skin.

The skin was unveiled earlier this month at the 24th Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ) at Okayama University. While Kao plans to use the artificial skin in the development of new cosmetics, Professor Maeno sees potential applications in the field of household robotics, where there are many opportunities for human-robot interaction.

[Source: Yomiuri Shimbun]

Once again, Japan’s making impressive strides towards actual Synthetiks in society. Well done, Keio University team members!

By the way, the site where I found the illo used above would be ALIEN1452; if you’d like the NSFW scintillating full-sized version, you can clicky here, as it’s well worth it

Technorati tags: Android, Gynoid, Keio University, Kao Corporation, artificial skin

Sdtrk: ‘Cruenta voluptas’ by NON

For those of you who reside in England, you’ll be ‘pleased’ to know that Sidore-chan and I, along with Everhard and his lasses, the famous Gordon Griggs and his lasses, and ‘Dr Jackson’, will be on your televisions this very evening. I just received an Email from ex-Geordie director Nick Holt, that said the finished documentary, ‘Guys and Dolls’ (that title was Nick’s idea, if I recall correctly), will be on Five on 18 September, at 2200 GMT. You can find a listings check right here.

Sorry for the short notice, but I was just told today by Nick, and Nick was just told today by the people at Five. So there you have it. Hopefully I don’t like a complete twat — although that’s a possibility that can’t be ruled out, y’know.

Set your VCRs! Do people even use VCRs anymore?

ADDENDUM (6.45pm): Looking over my blog’s stats, I guess it aired!..
Info for the innately curious: 1) I’m working on rebuilding Sidore’s site, ‘Kitten with a Whip!’, so in the meantime, you’ll just have to settle for her Flickr page, 2) blah blah blah my YouTube page, and 3) you’ll find more Doll-related info in the lefthand sidebar, in the Categories area. Enjoy, and try not to break anything

Technorati tags: Davecat, Sidore, RealDoll, iDollator, Guys and Dolls, Five, UK television

Sdtrk: ‘Bel air’ by Can

This is La Vallée 70, somewhere in France. The top section holds the kitchen and living room, and there seems to be at least four colour-coded compartmentalised rooms beneath, and below that, there’s an indoor swimming pool. The furniture and accessories are appropriately 20th century Modern, and it’s built into the side of a hill that overlooks a small stream.
Also notable: the entire residence looks to be made of 100% pure Awesome.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, that certainly holds true for this sexy action-packed instalment of ‘This was the Future’, cos I can’t copy any of the text, as not only is it all in French (pronounced ‘Frawnsh’), but the site’s all Flash. A pox on you, webdesigners! I’m sure these screencapped pics will pique your interest, in lieu of an actual article…

Something this sexy doesn’t need words, anyway — it’s self-descriptive. Dibs on the Violet Room!

Sdtrk: ‘Liar’ by the Sex pistols

Finally, a holiday that I can wholeheartedly get behind! Apart from Hallowe’en, that is. And, ah, Festivus.

Celebrate National Punctuation Day®
September 24, 2006

People all over the United States are celebrating the new holiday, National Punctuation Day®, which is listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events as a celebration of the lowly comma, correctly used quotes, and other proper uses of periods, semicolons and the ever mysterious ellipsis.

Jeff Rubin, owner/publisher of The Newsletter Guy, a newsletter publishing company based in Pinole, CA, founded National Punctuation Day® to draw attention to the importance of proper punctuation. It’s a day for librarians, educators, and parents — people who are interested in teaching and promoting good writing skills to their students and their children. It’s also a day to remind business people that they are often judged by how they present themselves.

If you’re like me and you have a baby aneurysm every time you see a sign that says ‘CD’S AND DVD’S FOR SALE’, or if you get the red mist whenever you encounter ‘it’s’ and ‘its’ being erroneously transposed, you’ll dig this holiday as much as I expect I will. Kinda makes you want to go shoot Myspace right in the face, eh? *nods vigourously*

There have been a shedload of punctuation faux pas since.. well, whenever, but my two recent faves would have to be ‘Alot’, and ‘Infact’. When did these become single words? Did I fall asleep one day, and wake up in The Land Where Language Gets Sodomised?
Yes; technically those would be misspellings, but punctuation fuckups are closely related. They’re the slightly less-inbred cousin.

Aaanyway, that’s National Punctuation day, 24 September. Learn it, live it, be it

Sdtrk: ‘Fuses’ by Stereolab

Hi kids! I’m still working on ‘What Would Loki Do?’ Part the Third, but I’ve just been getting sidetracked recently. With, ah, things. You know — objects, matter, things of that nature. Plus, I borrowed Derek’s copy of the Venture Bros. first season DVD set.

(at the Venture family yard sale)
Dr. Girlfriend: Sweetie, isn’t that the guy from Depeche Mode?
The Monarch: Oh, no way! Where? Holy crap, he’s with a girl?
Dr. Girlfriend: Oh yeah, that guy is totally straight. I saw a whole thing about him on the VH-1.
The Monarch: But he’s the guy from Depeche Mode! It’s impossible.
Dr. Girlfriend: Straight.
The Monarch: Come on! He’s in Depeche Mode!

So distracting. Anyway, that concluding post should be done by the week-end, he said, crossing his fingers. In the meantime, why not go subscribe to my YouTube video buffet, like 36 other people apparently have? It’s not as if you’re doing anything else with your time.

Also, enjoy an arbitrary picture of a 1/1 scale Doll, made by Gentaro Araki. Yes, she’s fecking cute. No, I know nothing about her. You lot will just have to suffer like I am, constantly wishing you could dredge up even the smallest morsel of info about her, but you will eventually come to terms that such knowledge is not for the likes of you and I, and you’ll finish this evening like so many that will follow: crying big heaving sobs into your pillow, unable to even wail her name. Such is the way of the world.

Right, back to work!

Buying a doll from this Doll would be a satisfyingly meta experience

Sdtrk: ‘The perfect kiss’ by New order

Once again, at work:
RANDOM GRAN: Oh, I can’t [make a donation]; my husband keeps me all tied up.
ME: Now that sounds like fun! Unless, of course, the ropes burn. But you might be into that.
RANDOM GRAN: Well, I’m more worried about his cigarette butts burning the house down.
ME: Ooh, cigarette burns, too? Sounds like a wild week-end! All you need now is some candlewax!
RANDOM GRAN: I have a pile of that around, too.
ME: …you have a pile of candlewax??

O, come on. I have to do something to keep my brain from leaking out my ears at work. Don’t give me that look

Sdtrk: ‘Oh! How to do now’ by the monks

[02.34.27 PM] KrazyQ: Who will I turn to for my crocodile hunting training? WHO? Crocodile Dundee is only a FICTIONAL character and can teach me NOTHING. NOTHING!

Steve Irwin, long overdue for poetic justice, was finally hoisted by his own petard, via a vengeful manta ray’s tail stinger piercing his heart.

Obituary: Steve Irwin
BBC News | Monday, 4 September 2006, 10:26 GMT 11:26 UK

With his trademark khaki shorts, chirpy manner and an obvious love of wildlife, Steve Irwin was known to television viewers around the world simply as “the crocodile hunter”.

But Steve Irwin’s popular image, wrestling crocs and other creatures, belied the fact that he was implacably opposed to the hunting, not just of crocodiles, but of any animal.

A natural showman as well as a conservationist and zoo owner, Irwin was committed to educating people about wildlife.

He often did this by putting himself at great risk, confronting crocodiles, venomous snakes and other dangerous beasts in their own environment. This fascinating television was often punctuated by his trademark yell of “Crikey!”

But his unconventional approach drew criticism from those who believed his idiosyncratic style to be irresponsible and cavalier.
the rest of the article is here

There but for the grace of God goeth the Crocodile Hunter. Who will shout at and sexually molest the many animals of the world, now that he’s gone?

Technorati tags: Steve Irwin, animals, Crocodile Hunter, shouting, yelling