Overheard/Underheard From: Speech Technology Magazine - Nov/Dec 2009 - page 11 By: Adam Boretz RIBA (Robot for Interactive Body Assistance) is a robotic nurse that resembles a friendly — albeit appalling and nightmarishly disturbing — teddy bear designed to lift patients in and out of beds and wheelchairs. RIBA can recognize faces, voices, and spoken commands, and has soft, padded skin to ensure patients don’t injure themselves as they flail about in a futile attempt to escape the clutches of a horrific robotic bear. Read the entire article at: http://www.speechtechmag.com/Articles/Editorial/FYI/Overheard-Underheard-57728.aspx Links: RIBA Robot for Interactive Body Assistance http://sciencelinks.jp/content/view/967/286/ Japanese create teddy bear robot nurse http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10320851-1.html RIBA Robot for Interactive Body Assistance video http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=2500 RIBA robot nurse bear http://pinktentacle.com/2009/08/riba-robot-nurse-bear/ Robotic Bear Nurse to Help the Elderly in Japan http://www.popsci.com/scitech/article/2009-08/robotic-bear-nurse-help-elderly-japan Hold Me in Your Automatic Arms http://robots.net/article/2916.html Up Close & Personal with RIBA http://www.plasticpals.com/?p=18683 Japanese robots: Real-life 'care bears' video http://www.cnngo.com/tokyo/none/japanese-robots-reallife-care-bears-205884