And the Oscar Goes To… Geminoid F, the Fembot Actress

Geminoid F might not be ready to give Meryl Streep a run for her money, but the female humanoid robot was designed for the stage. Created by ART Intelligent Robotics and Communications Laboratories under the direction of Professor Ishiguro Hiroshi, Geminoid was designed to replicate the appearance of a twenty-something woman, with the exception that she is controlled via remote control.

Geminoid F is controlled by an off-stage actress who uses a variety of special equipment to create a variety of facial expressions, which are duplicated by the fembot. An actress’s voice is funneled through microphones onstage, creating an eerily realistic acting experience. There’s only one problem – Geminoid F has no movement below the neck. Geminoid shares the stage with American actress Bryerly Long, who stars as a dying teenager who receives an android from her parents to keep her company in her last hours. The play, named Sayonara, will be playing in Tokyo on November 11.