Toys to help studying

INTERNATIONAL TOKYO TOY SHOW 2018 was held this month, many toy companies released interesting new products accordingly. Among them, there were a lot of digital gadgets for kids reflecting the present day.
Sega-Toys will release a tablet Magical Me Pad for girls tied-up with Disney in August 9.

It has a camera for face recognition, video shooting function, translation function, Game development application touch pen and AI. For example, when users talk something to it in Japanese, Mickey Mouse translates it into English and talks on the screen. In addition, they cooperated with publisher Gakken Plus to install learning drills and Japanese-English dictionary on this, when users study using these, AI measures their proficiency level and quizzes questions suitable for them. This is a function reflecting the necessity of English compulsion at elementary school, but this also supports another new compulsory subject, programming learning. In the game development application, users can simulate game development by programming using Disney characters. Of course this also has features other than study. Currently, Youtuber is a very popular job for Japanese kids, and users can make their own videos like Youtuber using video shooting and editing functions. Unfortunately this have not internet function, but it supports microSD and users can store data in it.
The size of this is 189mm × 123mm × 20mm, and it works for 3 hours continuously with four AA batteries. The target age is over 6 years old, and the price is 16,200yen(including tax).

(c)Disney
(c)Disney. Based on the “Winnie the Pooh”works by A.A.Milne and E.H.Shepard.
(c)Disney/Pixar

Cosmetic application using AR

Cosmetics are one of the difficult items that purchase on e-commerce sites.So, cosmetic company DHC released a make-up simulation application "Make-up Palette" using AR.

By using this, their customers can try cosmetics casually. This is an application that reproduces various make-up patterns using DHC cosmetics with camera of smartphones and face recognition technology. Eyeshadows, teaks, lipsticks... you can select and simulate cosmetic items and makeup patterns on your face on the smartphone's screen. Even if you change the angle of the camera and expression, the make-up simulation follows them. It is very convenient to compare the faces before and after making-up and decide in advance which colors are suitable for you. When you find your favorite items, you can go DHC's shopping site immediately from the application and buy them. They are using this to send for their customers the latest products, campaigns, and seasonal make-up information also. The downloading is free(iOS/Android).

Custom-made life size robot

Whether for general use or for business use, robots are hot topics in Japan. Therefore, the attraction production company Curiosity started "Chararoid", a custom-made service of character robots.

The concept of this is "to make the anime world exist in reality", CG designers design the exterior of the robots, and the attraction software which they developed independently is used for the motion control. Robot and tablet work together, and it is possible to communicate by video display and touch panel operation. It also has a speech recognition function and can also talk. If you do not like the synthesized voice of the robots, you can order the voice of the voice acter. The flow of communication is managed by the timeline, and it can be linked with BGM, signage, and projection mapping. Its eyes have small displays, and they can express various emotions comically like anime. As for the price they have not disclosed and you have to ask them about it in ordering.

Fake-video maker using AI

Now, an interesting movement is occurring in the Japanese VR industry. It is 3D avatar called Virtual Youtuber or VTuber, and they are talking and singing like real Youtubers. Though they are very popular and many creators are paying attention, but 3D modeling skills and motion capture technology are indispensable, so not everyone can feel free. However, with this iOS application "Xpression", everyone can play someone.


This is a video editing application that makes it easy to create a fake video similar to the real one using AI. It replaces the expression of the face of the video in real time with the expression of own face reflected on the camera. Any material can be anything. Politicians, celebrities, your friends, families, even you can let the drawings speak. Even if you do not have a desire to transform, this can be utilized in various situations. For example, if you pre-shoot videos of decent clothes, after that, you can always video communication with decent clothes when you are dowdy outfits. This is an innovative iOS application, but downloading is free.

Emergency SOS application

Suddenly sickness can happen to anyone, but unfortunately, there are many cases where quick life-saving treatment can not be done, and even if an ambulance comes, about 90% have died. What if someone who has knowledge of life-saving will stay until the ambulance comes? What if someone will lend an AED? They will surely be able to save more people's lives.

Coaido 119 is an emergency information sharing application that can send SOS to the surroundings while reporting to the ambulance in case of emergency. You can notify the ambulance from the application, and can request the life-saving volunteer for about 10 minutes until the arrival of the ambulance to the pre-registered medical qualified people, the life-saving lecturers and the AED holders.

Also, you can communicate information on emergency situations to them using location information, video, and voice chat from this application. And although it is still within 1 km from Ikebukuro station, this application has its own AED area call function.
They are conducting demonstration experiments of applications in Toshima Ward, Tokyo from January 2017 to January 2018, and recently expanded available areas to all over Japan. Now the application is only iOS version and downloading is free.