Four companies including Dentsu Inc. develop android "totto" based on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

Dentsu Inc. and Three Other Companies Develop Android "totto" Based on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

―Expanding Ms. Kuroyanagi's Social Activities Through "Chats" with Seniors and Children―

Dentsu Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Toshihiro Yamamoto), Dentsu Tech Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Yasuhiro Matsubara), TV Asahi Corporation (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Chairman and CEO: Hiroshi Hayakawa), and A-Lab Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Takeshi Mita) have jointly developed the android "totto" for celebrity Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. This development commemorates the October launch of the daytime drama series "Totto-chan!" (TV Asahi: Mon-Fri 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM), commemorating the broadcast start.

"totto" was developed under the leadership of TV Asahi, with supervision by Dentsu Inc., Dentsu Tech, A-Lab, and Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University (ATR Visiting Director) (*), a leading authority in android research.

"totto's" voice was created using the latest voice synthesis technology developed by NTT TechnoCross Corporation, based on 42 years of conversation data from "Tetsuko's Room" held by TV Asahi. In 2018, an autonomous conversation system will also be added, enabling "chats" with Tetsuko-san in various locations.

For its creation, Ms. Kuroyanagi was scanned with 3D cameras to create a life-size mold. Her facial expressions, gestures, and mannerisms were studied. Furthermore, ATR's technology, which generates realistic mouth movements synchronized with speech, was adopted. This android utilizes the latest engineering technologies.

Based on Ms. Kuroyanagi's defining traits of "curiosity" and "loving to chat," the "Totto's Dream" project aims to extend her social activities to people of all ages and genders across Japan and the world. It will deliver smiles globally through initiatives like communicating with the elderly and reading aloud to children.

For details, please visit the official website: totto-android.com.

＜Android "totto" Overview＞

●Name: totto

　
※Hiroshi Ishiguro
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University / Visiting Director, Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International (ATR)

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