Hello Robi, our first humanoid friend

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Hello Robi! Someone visited our family last week.
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We can understand why Robi is so adorable and captured so much attention and affection.
My kids were all eager to “chat” with Robi.

“Hello Robi.
How are you?
Walk to me.
Dance for me, Robi
Robi are you boy or girl?
Robi how old are you?”

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Robi is a fusion of sophisticated design and advanced Japanese technology that was designed to provide interactive companionship with the entire family.

Robi is programmed with up to 250 phases, providing fun and interactive engagement for families. Singapore’s Robi can even understand both English and Mandarin instructions 🙂

As ours is a prototype unit, we need to recite the instructions in clear tone for Robi to pickup.

My own encounter with humanoid robots was in the movie Alien (staring Sigourney Weaver) more than 30 years ago. Some of the spaceship crew were actually humanoids (or droids), they look, talk and function exactly like humans.

Mention Japanese Robots and Astro Boy comes to mind. A Robot boy who helps protects Japan.
And Robi does remind me of Astro Boy when I first saw him. Watch his eyes glow as he received and acknowledged our conversation.

Video (link) : Checkout the kids dancing and doing pushups with Robi 🙂

Do take note we cannot buy Robi over the counter. We need to subscribe to Robi weekly publication and build Robi from scratch. There are 70 issues to collect.
Robi magazines

The weekly educational magazine will come with Robi parts and construction instructions. Kids will also learn about Robotics and Science in each issue.
Robi subscription

First issue has a promotion price of $9.90, and subsequent issues are $28.90 each, excluding the list below:
Issue 43 (CPU): $55
Issue 62 (Physical sensor): $42
Issue 63 (Physical sensor): $42
Issue 67 (Speech recognition board): $55

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I can see Robi as a companion for old folks (perhaps)?
In the near future, we humans might have to get used talking to robots, and robots doing our everyday tasks.
Robi can operate the TV and do some “mopping” today, I am sure Robotics will take over more mundane roles soon.

At the moment, Robi is still a fun novelty for our kids.
They keep saying Robi is cute and adorable, which I agree.

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I attended a Robi roadshow last week, and the inventor himself Professor Takahashi shared his insights on Robi.
Robi demostration Singapore

Live demonstration of Robi building. We just need a screwdriver.
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More details about Robi :

– Checkout www.robi.sg to know more about Robi
Catch him performing on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook.

– Robi will be retailing at 7-Eleven, Books Kinokuniya, FairPrice, FairPrice Online, Giant Hypermarket, MPH Bookstores, Popular, SPC (Singapore Petroleum Company), SPH Buzz, Toy Or Game, Warehouse Club and Times Bookstores.

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Village Hotel Bugis, Good Food around Bugis

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Continuing from Day one review of Village Hotel Bugis Hotel, we have more good food to share.

Breakfast at 3rd Floor (Chinese cuisine) or 5th floor (International). It looks the same to us, but 5th floor does offer the pool view 🙂
breakfast Bugis Village hotel
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With so much food intake, I need to remind everyone to exercise too. Gym anyone? Kids sure know how to wayang (act) for my camera :p
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Famous North Bridge Road Steamboat (Nam Wah Chong 南华昌). Ideal for a lazy evening, but we still prefer Whampoa’s Fishhead soup (both fish and pricing).
steamboat North bridge Road
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(93/95 Owen Road)

We will encourage you to walk in the direction of Liang Seah, which offers a lot of dining and cafe options. (Purvis is another 5 min away)
Bugis  Liang Seah street

We love Ah Chew’s range of desserts. Be it warm or cold, there is always something for everyone, and the price is reasonable too. You must order the steam egg 🙂
ah chew desserts
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ah chew desserts review
(01-11 Liang Seah Street)

You might walk past beautiful wall-arts or decorations along Haji Lane or along Victoria Street. These arts seem to 3D jump out from the walls.
haji  lane

So many niche boutique shops selling non-mainstream decorations, and fashion statements.
wall art HAj Lane

Life like wall murals 🙂
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On another day, we took a train to Dhoby Ghaut (just 8 min away) where more shopping and food awaits.
But we are here to day to take a photo with some “Dynasty of the Sun” hotshot 🙂
dynasty of the sun Plaza Singapura

Have heard so much about Seorae’s Korean BBQ. The meat does not disappoint 🙂
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seorae korean bbq

Do not leave without ordering any shaved ice (aka PatBingsoo )
Patbingsoo shaved ce
(Plaza Singapura #02-01)

I did a 8km loop around Marina Bay in the evening. Slow and easy, it was nice to finish the jog and return to the city staycation for one night.
jogging around Bugis area

Gif of Downtown Singapore (Marina Bay)
jogging around Downtown Singapore

3D2N at Village Hotel Bugis, truly satisfying staycation as we got to walk and explore the rich happening neighbourhood. We would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to our friends.

If we have more time, I would have love to visit the nearby Museums and Galleries.

Day 1 review here, more Photos are available on our Fanpage albums
Day 1 and Day 2