Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Japanese Pen Spinning Collaboration




As I upload this video, they are showcasing it on the news on TV! It's amazing what people can do with pen spinning!

A bunch of researchers at Tokyo University are videotaping someone spin a pen, and then trying to convert it into movements for a robot hand to mimic. Apparently it is extremely difficult to translate the motion for the robot.

Fascinating!

There are several other videos there that are pretty amazing.

And the music is LOUD, so be careful you don't wake the dead.

I love you!

Cam

38 comments:

  1. I find it impressive that people have this kind of dexterity, and can't imagine getting robotic hands to do the same. Wow!

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  2. Um, why?
    No, truly that was interesting? Is this going to eventually be an Olympic sport? By now I would have dropped it on the floor or flung it against the wall.
    love ya

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  3. Wow can you even begin to imagine what else they can do with these dexterityous digits?

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  4. I can see it now - Olympic mini baton twirling...

    I went to school with an autistic girl who could do this, but she used Popsicle sticks. Apparently the twirling distracted her enough so she could interact with her peer group.

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  5. How cool....I used to twirl baton as a majorette and could do some cool stuff with my fingers, but the baton was larger and weighted so easier to twirl....this would be tuff to master! Those Japanese....... never cease to amaze me with their ability's...be it to eat a ton of hot dogs and still be rail thin, and n ow their ability to twirl pens......

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  6. Ooooookay...... who can even do that?? and... I can't even translate that into my OWN brain and make my hands work that way... so how could you get a robot to do it? It seems like a lot of eye-hand coordination in addition to the skill.

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  7. Ok..admit it...didn't everybody try to do this after watching the video? I did and, well, I'm keeping my day job..ha ha!

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  8. No, but tried it after you comment and guess what? I suck at it!

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  9. We will have to form a support group.

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  10. I've been watching kids do this ever since I first saw them doing it almost 20 years ago. It still stuns me. I've never tried hard enough to be able to do it (I find being proficient at shoveling snow has more merit), but it has always been extremely impressive to watch people absentmindedly flip and spin their pen or pencil around in their fingers as they are working on something else.

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  11. My son can do this and would always get in trouble for doing it in class. I can see why! It is fascinating to watch and probably much more interesting for the other kids to watch than history or Calculus lectures.

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  12. insertMulTV('camswitzer:video:54','upload-camswitzer-54','',1,1);

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  13. I can't..... didn't try... I already know.


    I can spin a washcloth or a dishtowel like Italians spin pizza dough though.... something I learned when waiting tables.

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  14. insertMulTV('camswitzer:video:55','upload-camswitzer-55','',1,1);

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  15. Steph - I think the teachers wouldn't like you doing that in class though... you could catch someone in the eye with a corner of the towel!

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  16. Michelle - I sooo agree with you and your comment, " ". I love you!

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  17. Probably true.... but it's cool to see me walking through the kitchen or a restaurant (when I worked there) spinning one!!

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  18. OOOO..........what would we call it?
    Hi, my name is Michelle and I can't spin. *crying uncontrollably*

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  19. I know my limitations.

    Manual dexterity is not one of my strengths.
    However... i can do some other amazing things with my hands... *wink*

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  20. We could be the "Can't Spin Pen Pals"

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  21. LOL......did you check out my video yet?

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  22. LOL-thanks for posting it. I could not figure out how to get it here.

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  23. I'm traumatized! You are without a doubt the most creative pencil spinner in the multiverse!

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  24. Pens all over the floor, fingers permanently in knots. Cam, you have caused me to attempt the impossible.

    I love you anyway!

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  25. Sally - "It is better to have spun and lost, than never to have spun at all!"

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  26. At this rate, I'll need a spin doctor.

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  27. LOL
    Aww Sally, keep trying and you can join me in the Olympics!
    Maybe we can get a fan base to go with us. Wecould have signs held up and everything. Oh, oh and product placement could be from "Bic". Oh, my head is swimming with grandeur.
    Now back to your regular scheduled program...........

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  28. Michelle - You could be the first ones from Team America for Synchronized Spinning! That would be awesome!

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  29. Michelle!! AMAZING!! And to do such feats as your conducting your own musical score is.... simply.... well there are no words, I am speechless with amazement....LOL Thanks for making me smile!

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  30. Paula, thank you for your kind words. It's an art. LOL

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