The tourists are now thronging the Tokyo Sky Tree and Tokyo Tower is left with a little odd bunch of nostalgic people and an overspill that seems to have lost their way. To bring back the fun times (read tourists), the Tower plans to add an autonomous moving robot with a signboard, to interact with the visitors. It is said to be Japan’s first such kind of robot and will start operating from August 1st; we are excited!
The robot resembles the Tokyo Tower and features an antenna on its head. Painted the traditional International Orange and white, the semblance is complete with rivets etc. Picture it to be an adult gorilla that weighs 200 kilos and stands 160 cms tall! The robot will hang around the Main Observatory and elucidate to visitors the main hotspots and buildings that can be viewed. It speaks four languages, namely Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean plus uses a little scoreboard style ticker to dish out fun facts about Tokyo.
If you are tired of me referring to it as ‘a robot’ then you do have the chance to give it a name. Currently the makers ALSOK calls it “An9-PR”, however a new name is being sought for it. A name that is easy, friendly and reflects the kind of service Tokyo Tower wants to offer. You have till July 22 to drop in your suggestions at the designated box at Tokyo Tower. Hurry!
[Via Rocket News]