Another robot mannequin introduced

Robotic mannequins that are able to change their posture automatically seem to be an upcoming trend lately. Now, a new type has been presented at the International ROBOT Exhibition (IREX) in Japan. The manufacturer of this display dummy is Eager of Osaka, Japan. The product itself was named D+Ropop and is made from recycable cardboard, which is placed over the skeleton with moving parts. The in our view pretty elegant mannequin is said to come with a price tag of $ 5.500 if bought or $ 1.800 if rented for a week. The height of the mannequin is 180 cm, the weight a surprisingly low 6 kg. A short video may give an impression of the abilities of this mannequin:

Animated mannequins in general are able to catch the attention of shoppers as their motion is sure to attracts the views of passerbys. Moreover, they may carry sensors that can detect the presence of people and assume appropriate postures and turn towards persons. The movement is made possible by small motors placed in the shoulders and elbows. Among the alternatives to D+Ropop are robot mannequins produced by a company called Flower Robotics. Their product ‘Palette’ looks far more futuristic and comes with a price tag of $50.000 if bought and $3.000 if rented for a week. All in all, those robotic mannequins are an interesting alternative to traditional mannequins, the only drawback being the hefty price tag possibly making such an investment unprofitable from a merchants point of view.