Hong Kong man spends 1.5 years, $50K to build his own female robot

hong kong robot scarlett johansson humanoid female
A 42-year-old product and graphic designer in Hong Kong spent a year and a half and more than $50,000 to build a female robot that’s meant to resemble a Hollywood actress whom he doesn’t want to name. (It’s Scarlett Johansson.) The crop-topped humanoid responds to a set of verbal commands and makes facial expressions.

Ricky Ma built the full-size robot, dubbed “Mark 1,” from scratch on his balcony, thus fulfilling a childhood dream, according to Reuters. “During this process, a lot of people would say things like, ‘Are you stupid? This takes a lot of money. Do you even know how to do it? It’s really hard,’” Ma said.

After overcoming challenges like burnt-out electric motors and his inexperience with electromechanics and programming, Ma has created Mark 1, which can move its limbs, turn its head, bow, smirk, and wink. It can also respond to a set of commands with responses or movements.

Mark 1 also has silicone skin covering a 3D-printed skeleton. In fact, about 70 percent of the humanoid’s body was made using 3D-printing technology, according to Reuters.

Ma hopes someone will purchase his prototype so he can use the funds to build other robots. He also wants to write a book to benefit others who share his ambitions.

Smart Home

The future of food could make kitchens and grocery stores obsolete

Will we be 3D printing our food in 20 years? Will grocery stores as we know them disappear? The 2018 Smart Kitchen Summit included a lot of wild predictions about the future of cooking.
Photography

Check out these ‘cool’ photos taken with a lens made from sea ice

Earlier this year, photographer Mathieu Stern set himself the offbeat challenge of making a lens using nothing more than a piece of sea ice. After months of work, he managed to snap some rather creative images with it.
Deals

Black Friday 2018: When it happens and where to find the best deals

Black Friday is the biggest shopping holiday of the year, and it will be here before you know it. If you can't wait until November 23 to start formulating a shopping plan, we've got you covered.
Deals

The best cheap but awesome PS4 game deals under $20

The PlayStation 4 has hit its stride in recent years and is now more affordable than ever. If you have a PS4 or are thinking of buying one, we’ve collected some must-have games. The best part? Each of these is just $20 or less.
Emerging Tech

What’s it like to die? This VR experience puts doctors in a dying man’s shoes

A new VR experience depicts the last days of a lung cancer patient. It is already being used as a teaching tool in hospices and medical schools. But can VR really make us more empathetic?
Emerging Tech

An app uses your smartphone camera to tell if you’re alert at work

Do you lose concentration while at work? A new Cornell University app keeps tabs on users' alertness during the day by measuring the size of their pupils each time they unlock their phone.
Emerging Tech

Boxy shuttles, not cars, will be people’s first taste of autonomous vehicles

From smart cities to college campuses, several self-driving shuttle projects are in works. But these public transports of the future are facing challenges, such as vandalism and regulatory approval.
Emerging Tech

Struggling to start a good habit? Simone Giertz’s Every Day Calendar can help

Simone Giertz is best known as the maker of crappy robots on YouTube, but her first Kickstarter campaign is no failure. In fact, her Every Day calendar has racked up massive amounts of support.
Emerging Tech

Powered brace proves restoring arm functionality is no longer out of reach

The breakthrough MyoPro myoelectric powered arm brace promises to help restore functionality in the arms and hands of individuals with neuromuscular disease or injury. Here's how it works.
Emerging Tech

A.I. can do almost anything now, but here are 6 things machines still suck at

As A.I. becomes a more and more dominant part of our lives, it's clear that not there are still big blind spots when it comes to the tasks machines can perform. Here are six examples.
DT Daily

DT Daily: Drone-snatching eagles, streamer Disguised Toast, and more

In the latest installment of DT Daily, we talk about the day's biggest headlines, modern drone regulations, and Sony's forthcoming robotic dog, Aibo. Streamer Disguised Toast also makes an appearance to talk Twitch.
Emerging Tech

Singapore plans to open its skies to drone taxi test flights in 2019

Think that autonomous flying taxis are decades away? Think again! Volocopter is gearing up to run inner-city tests of its self-driving air taxis in Singapore in the second half of 2019.
Emerging Tech

Uh-oh. Somebody taught drones how to team up so they can open doors

These diminutive Flycrotug microdrones are able to open doors or move objects 40 times their weight -- and all they need are a pair of adhesive, insect-inspired feet, and an onboard lasso.
Emerging Tech

Need an outfit for Halloween? Check out these 3D-printed costumes

Cutting close to Halloween and missing that vital component to your costume? Maybe 3D-printed Halloween costumes are the way to go for you. Check out our list of favorites accessories.