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The Mainichi
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Mainichi
Tokyo Disney Resort teams up with Mrs. Green Apple in 'Summer Cool-off' program
URAYASU, Chiba -- Tokyo Disney Resort (TDR)'s special summer program "Summer Cool-off" began July 2 with a surprise appearance by members of popular rock band Mrs. Green Apple. Related parades and shows were revealed to the press on July 1. At Tokyo Disneyland, the program's theme song "Carrying Happiness," released by Mrs. Green Apple, played as band members rode in an open car with Mickey Mouse and friends. Later on, health care robot Baymax from Disney's animated film "Big Hero 6" appeared on two floats, with the "task" of protecting visitors from the heat. Sensing the heat was wearing guests down, Baymax sprayed water on the crowd of people, drawing loud cheers. In the evening at Tokyo DisneySea, Mickey and friends held a dance festival titled "Dockside Splash Remix" to blow away the summer heat. Fireworks and tons of spraying water energized the audience. The summer program at TDR in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, will run through Sept. 15. (Japanese original by Takashi Ishizuka, Chiba Bureau)
Scottish Sun
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
I travelled alone in a driverless taxi – it's a game changer for single women like me
Plus, a British driverless taxi firm received a cash injection last year to bring self-driving cars closer to reality DRIVER-LESS I travelled alone in a driverless taxi – it's a game changer for single women like me A SLEEK white car approached me, gliding towards the pavement as a flashing green beacon like an old fashion police light revealed the letters 'CF'. That was the signifier that this way my driverless taxi. 5 Waymo was introduced to the public in San Francisco back in 2024 Credit: Alamy 5 I travelled in a Waymo when visiting San Francisco last year Credit: Cyann Fielding To unlock the car, I had to go back onto the app and confirm - none of the usual issue of someone battling you for the Uber you thought was yours. I was in San Francisco hailing a Waymo taxi, which was introduced to the public in the city back in 2024. The cars are littered all over the city and look like car-versions of Big Hero 6's Baymax. Once inside, the energy felt very much the same. Unlike an Uber - where I avoid the front seat at all costs - I made a beeline for it. This was the best place to be - like the front of the rollercoaster, where you can see all the action. Though in this case, it was the roads ahead, a wheel rotating on its own accord and a tablet screen showing all of the things within feet of the car. In fact, the cars sensors and cameras even stretched to the bins and people on the pavement... on the other side of the road. Without doubt, I was impressed. The apprehension I had prior to getting in the car had immediately subsided. Incredible moment Britain's first ever air taxi takes to UK skies with speeds of 150mph and room for four passengers It didn't feel like an erratic or janky journey, instead very smooth, taking each turn and speedbump with a planned approach. The reason why San Francisco is home to these vehicles - and other brands' driverless vehicles too - is mostly due to the city's proximity to Silicon Valley, it being a challenging city with lots of hills and also, it having a welcoming attitude towards new technologies. Whilst the cars cannot go on the highway, they can zip around the city with ease. Admittedly, to a lot of people they seem like a novelty. But in reality, the cars really do feel safe and like the future of taxis. In recent years, there have been a flurry of taxi driver scandals, with young women airing their grievances over creepy drivers. And in 2022, Uber was sued in the US over allegations of assault by drivers including allegations women passengers were kidnapped. I have had Uber drivers ask about my age, question my career as a journalist, ask if I am single, been on any dates recently, 'behave' appropriately on nights out - the list goes on. When I first moved to London, these kinds of incidents meant I didn't know which firm to trust - if it could happen with Ubersdrivers, it could happen with any driver from any taxi app or firm. I remember having a female driver in Texas, who drove so erratically I thought she was drunk. And a male driver in London, at 10am in the morning, interrogating me if I had been drinking - all because I had a can of Sprite in my hand. After a night out, I was stranded on two percent with no Uber accepting my trip. Whilst the app told me there were no nearby drivers, I was in central London, with many cars with Uber stickers whizzing by me. More than likely, I was being rejected by drivers because my trip was short and only would cost £5. Another night, whilst with friends, we had an Uber abandon us on the side of the road and zoom off with no reason explained. 5 Once you have ordered an Waymo and it arrives, you unlock it with your phone Credit: Cyann Fielding I have had Uber drivers ask about my age, question my career as a journalist, ask if I am single, been on any dates recently, 'behave' appropriately on nights out - the list goes on. Undoubtedly, I have had amazing drivers too - chatty or not, friendly and respectful, and ones who have offered me water or a charger. And whilst I make effort to give five stars and a tip for these drivers, I shouldn't feel the need to award someone for not being creepy. With Waymo, there is none of this anxiety. You unlock the car from your phone, get in and a safety demo is explained to you, the screen constantly shows what is around the car, the doors are locked for the duration of the journey, you can contact customer service by simply asking. 5 Once your ride is finished, you just shut the door and watch the vehicle drive off Credit: Cyann Fielding All of these safety measures are then enhanced by measures that make your ride enjoyable - a fun, upbeat voice, music options and even the joke that "you can sing as loud as you like because no one will hear you". Essentially, my experience was a safe, comforting private karaoke room on wheels. No complaints - even despite the slightly-higher-than-Uber price - just one satisfied customer. Driverless taxis don't just offer a tourist experience, they offer a haven away from questionable drivers and forced conversations. Uber self-driving robotaxis are due to come to UK roads NEXT YEAR. Last year, a British driverless car firm also raised $1bn from investors in Europe's biggest AI deal to date.
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
I travelled alone in a driverless taxi – it's a game changer for single women like me
A SLEEK white car approached me, gliding towards the pavement as a flashing green beacon like an old fashion police light revealed the letters 'CF'. That was the signifier that this way my driverless taxi. 5 Waymo was introduced to the public in San Francisco back in 2024 Credit: Alamy 5 I travelled in a Waymo when visiting San Francisco last year Credit: Cyann Fielding To unlock the car, I had to go back onto the app and confirm - none of the usual issue of someone battling you for the Uber you thought was yours. I was in San Francisco hailing a Waymo taxi, which was introduced to the public in the city back in 2024. The cars are littered all over the city and look like car-versions of Big Hero 6's Baymax. Once inside, the energy felt very much the same. Read more on taxis Unlike an Uber - where I avoid the front seat at all costs - I made a beeline for it. This was the best place to be - like the front of the Though in this case, it was the roads ahead, a wheel rotating on its own accord and a tablet screen showing all of the things within feet of the car. In fact, the cars sensors and cameras even stretched to the bins and people on the pavement... on the other side of the road. Most read in News Travel Without doubt, I was impressed. The apprehension I had prior to getting in the car had immediately subsided. Incredible moment Britain's first ever air taxi takes to UK skies with speeds of 150mph and room for four passengers It didn't feel like an erratic or janky journey, instead very smooth, taking each turn and speedbump with a planned approach. The reason why San Francisco is home to these vehicles - and other brands' driverless vehicles too - is mostly due to the city's proximity to Silicon Valley, it being a challenging city with lots of hills and also, it having a welcoming attitude towards new technologies. Whilst the cars cannot go on the highway, they can zip around the city with ease. Admittedly, to a lot of people they seem like a novelty. But in reality, the cars really do feel safe and like the future of taxis. In recent years, there have been a flurry of taxi driver scandals, with young women airing their grievances over creepy drivers. And in 2022, Uber was sued in the US over allegations of assault by drivers including allegations women passengers were kidnapped. I have had Uber drivers ask about my age, question my career as a journalist, ask if I am single, been on any dates recently, 'behave' appropriately on nights out - the list goes on. When I first moved to London, these kinds of incidents meant I didn't know which firm to trust - if it could happen with Ubersdrivers, it could happen with any driver from any taxi app or firm. I remember having a female driver in Texas, who drove so erratically I thought she was drunk. And a male driver in London, at 10am in the morning, interrogating me if I had been drinking - all because I had a can of Sprite in my hand. After a night out, I was stranded on two percent with no Uber accepting my trip. Whilst the app told me there were no nearby drivers, I was in central London, with many cars with Uber stickers whizzing by me. More than likely, I was being rejected by drivers because my trip was short and only would cost £5. Another night, whilst with friends, we had an Uber abandon us on the side of the road and zoom off with no reason explained. 5 Once you have ordered an Waymo and it arrives, you unlock it with your phone Credit: Cyann Fielding I have had Uber drivers ask about my age, question my career as a journalist, ask if I am single, been on any dates recently, 'behave' appropriately on nights out - the list goes on. Undoubtedly, I have had amazing drivers too - chatty or not, friendly and respectful, and ones who have offered me water or a charger. And whilst I make effort to give five stars and a tip for these drivers, I shouldn't feel the need to award someone for not being creepy. With Waymo, there is none of this anxiety. You unlock the car from your phone, get in and a safety demo is explained to you, the screen constantly shows what is around the car, the doors are locked for the duration of the journey, you can contact customer service by simply asking. 5 Once your ride is finished, you just shut the door and watch the vehicle drive off Credit: Cyann Fielding All of these safety measures are then enhanced by measures that make your ride enjoyable - a fun, upbeat voice, music options and even the joke that "you can sing as loud as you like because no one will hear you". Essentially, my experience was a safe, comforting private karaoke room on wheels. No complaints - even despite the slightly-higher-than-Uber price - just one satisfied customer. Driverless taxis don't just offer a Last year, a British driverless car firm also raised $1bn from investors in Europe's biggest AI deal to date. 5 Driverless taxis in London could change the future of getting a ride Credit: Alamy
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
You Are Completely Unprepared for What This Humanoid Servant Robot Looks Like
Norwegian robotics startup 1X has shown off its latest humanoid robot, dubbed Neo Gamma, in a flashy new promotional video claiming to show the bot preparing tea, doing laundry, and vacuuming around the house. In a bid to separate its bipedal household laborer from the far creepier competition, 1X wrapped Neo Gamma in what it's calling a KnitSuit, an eyebrow-raising onesie that's "soft to the touch and flexible for dynamic movements." It's a fascinating choice with some eerie results. Despite its full-body sweater, Neo Gamma's face is a more conventional panel of black plastic, dotted with an unsettling pair of set-back eyes. It's as if evil scientists crossed Baymax from Disney's "Big Hero 6" with Jason Voorhees, the hockey mask-donning antagonist from the "Friday The 13th" film series — with maybe a splash of Oogie Boogie from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and the haunted sack guys from "9." "There is a not-so-distant future where we all have our own robot helper at home, like Rosey the Robot or Baymax," said 1X CEO Bernt Børnich in a statement. "But for humanoid robots to truly integrate into everyday life, they must be developed alongside humans, not in isolation." But whether any of what 1X showed off in its Apple-like promotional video will ever turn into a reality is awfully hazy. In a press release, the company claims the design is only a "first step" and "opens the door to start internal home testing." In other words, don't expect Neo Gamma to go on sale any time soon — although, as is typical in the hype-fueled tech sector, the company is simultaneously promising exactly that, even as it manages expectations. "With NEO Gamma, every engineering and design decision was made with one goal in mind: getting NEO into customers' homes as quickly as possible," Børnich promised. "We're close. We can't wait to share more soon." 1X is far from the first company to show off a flashy humanoid robot designed to help out in the home. Elon Musk's Tesla, for instance, is working on its own bidepal assistant, dubbed Optimus. But despite plenty of fanfare, the EV maker has employed a lot of smoke and mirrors to make up for reality failing to live up to some pretty bold claims so far. California-based AI robotics company Figure has also shown off an AI-powered humanoid that can talk courtesy of OpenAI's large language models. The company claims on its website that the second generation of its robot, Figure 02, is the "world's first commercially-viable autonomous humanoid robot" — but has yet to announce price or availability. Interestingly, 1X also received funding from OpenAI last year as part of a $100 million series, in another sign of the hype for humanoid robots that can talk to their masters with the help of generative AI. But despite the attention and investments being poured into the industry, nobody really knows when — or if — we'll see robots like Neo Gamma being offered to consumers. The engineering challenges are immense, and whether they can prove to be actually useful in a home setting, let alone be affordable to those who aren't hugely wealthy, remains to be seen. At least we'll give 1X credit for a creative new twist on the otherwise uncanny aesthetics of robotics, filled with creepy facial expressions and twitching extremities. More on humanoid robots: Tesla's Robots Were Just Remotely Controlled Dummies, Analyst Confirms
