Tomy unveils world's tiniest, thumb-sized walking robot

Toymaker Tomy Co unveiled Saturday the world’s tiniest, thumb-sized walking robot that will debut in Japan next spring. The two-legged toy, dubbed ‘‘Robo-Q,’’ is only 3.4 centimeters high, but its artificial intelligence can detect obstacles and navigate through a maze using built in infrared sensors. Using a controller, it can also play games like soccer.

Robo-Q is being displayed at a three-day exhibition in Yokohama through Monday, where more than 100 different types of robots are being showcased by a total of 43 companies, universities and organizations, including Honda Motor Co and Fujitsu Ltd. ‘‘It just looks like a clump, but it’s impressive that so many functions are built into that thing,’’ Kazuhiko Oda, 55, from Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, said after watching an exhibition of Robo-Q at the Robo Japan 2008. Robo-Q comes in four colors and will be sold in Japan from around February for 3,500 yen excluding tax. The robot is expected to be sold in other Asian countries soon afterwards and in the United States and Europe at an unspecified date, Tomy officials said.

JapanToday.