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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Telenoid R1 is a remotely operated android that lets someone speak through a small, soft-bodied robot. It is not an autonomous assistant or a verified consumer product: an operator sends voice and some movement to the robot, while the person nearby can talk back through its microphone. Its deliberately minimal human-like form is intended to let users imagine the remote speaker as being present.
What is Telenoid R1?
Osaka University and ATR announced Telenoid R1 on August 1, 2010, as a small teleoperated android for research into how technology can convey a person’s presence. The work belonged to the project “Representation of human presence by using tele-operated androids,” led by Hiroshi Ishiguro. ATR’s announcement documents the development and research context.
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The Ishiguro Laboratory describes Telenoid as a soft-vinyl android that transmits a remote operator’s voice and physical movement. Its appearance is intentionally spare rather than a close likeness of one particular person. The laboratory’s design rationale is that this can let a nearby user imagine different people speaking through it; that is an intended perception, not a guaranteed response for every user. Ishiguro Laboratory’s Telenoid project page
How does someone operate it remotely?
The laboratory describes an operator using a laptop PC and sensor headset over an internet connection. The operator’s voice and movement are conveyed through Telenoid. This is the project’s description of its teleoperation system, not a promise that a current service is available anywhere or that the setup remains unchanged. Ishiguro Laboratory
#1 Best Overall
- Three models, one lightweight platform R1 Air (20 DOF, monocular camera), R1 (26 DOF, binocular camera, head+waist joints), and R1 Edu (26 DOF + SDK/API for programming). All weigh ~29kg / 123cm – one person can lift, move, and fit into a car trunk.
- Easy setup – no coding required for basic use Unbox, power on, and start. Manual teaching feature: physically pose the robot, and it replays the motion. Graphical drag-and-drop programming also available.
- More DOF = more expressive movement 26‑DOF models (R1 / R1 Edu) add head and waist articulation for smoother dance and running. For safety reasons, only basic actions are currently available; advanced movements are not yet released.
- Voice interaction + two color options Responds to English voice commands (music, conversation, photo). Choose Gold or Blue‑White with automotive‑grade gloss paint.
- R1 Edu adds open development SDK/API access for custom programming, simulation platforms, and future Unistore content downloads. Adult use only – under 18 requires adult supervision.
Telenoid Healthcare Company gives a more specific account of the conversation path: Wi-Fi connects the robot to the internet, the operator speaks through a computer, and the voice plays from the robot’s speaker. The nearby person replies into Telenoid’s microphone, which sends the reply back to the operator; the company says its mouth moves with speech. It describes the robot as being held during conversation, allowing close-range, face-to-face eye contact. These operating details are company-published information. Telenoid Healthcare Company FAQ
A 2010 IEEE Spectrum report described the demonstration setup of that period as using a computer, webcam and ATR teleoperation software to capture voice and track face and head movements, with buttons for other behaviors. This is historical reporting; it should not be read as a description of the current software stack.
Can you hug it while talking?
Yes, the project and company descriptions present holding or embracing Telenoid during conversation as part of the intended interaction. The design team’s hypothesis is that touch and a minimal human-like body may help the user experience the remote speaker as present. The laboratory says an embrace can make a user feel as though they are facing that speaker, while the company describes holding the device for a close conversation. These descriptions explain the design goal; they do not establish that everyone will feel this way.
Rank #2
- Three models, one lightweight platform R1 Air (20 DOF, monocular camera), R1 (26 DOF, binocular camera, head+waist joints), and R1 Edu (26 DOF + SDK/API for programming). All weigh ~29kg / 123cm – one person can lift, move, and fit into a car trunk.
- Easy setup – no coding required for basic use Unbox, power on, and start. Manual teaching feature: physically pose the robot, and it replays the motion. Graphical drag-and-drop programming also available.
- More DOF = more expressive movement 26‑DOF models (R1 / R1 Edu) add head and waist articulation for smoother dance and running. For safety reasons, only basic actions are currently available; advanced movements are not yet released.
- Voice interaction + two color options Responds to English voice commands (music, conversation, photo). Choose Gold or Blue‑White with automotive‑grade gloss paint.
- R1 Edu adds open development SDK/API access for custom programming, simulation platforms, and future Unistore content downloads. Adult use only – under 18 requires adult supervision.
What does published interaction research establish?
A 2014 peer-reviewed paper by Sorbello, Chella, Calí, Giardina, Nishio and Ishiguro reports a human–robot interaction test involving 142 young people who had no previous experience with Telenoid. The paper examines perceptions and social-cognitive aspects of human–humanoid interaction. Its participant count is not a success rate, evidence of clinical efficacy, or a finding about older adults. 2014 study, DOI: 10.1007/s12369-014-0227-4
What are its known physical details and reported use?
Telenoid Healthcare Company lists the robot’s approximate weight as 2.7 kg. This is the company’s stated approximate figure; the cited material does not establish an independent measurement. The company also reports deployments at care facilities in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. That is a company-reported use, not proof of a particular clinical benefit. Telenoid Healthcare Company FAQ
Can you buy a Telenoid R1?
The available sources do not verify a current consumer purchase route, retail listing, or authorized provider offering the R1 for sale. The company FAQ explains the device and mentions care-facility deployments, but does not establish consumer availability. Treat Telenoid as a specialized teleoperation and communication-research android unless an authorized provider confirms current access directly. A generic telepresence robot is not the same product.
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