Robot unicyclist's first visit to Europe

Hoofddorp, Netherlands: Unicycling robot MURATA GIRL will visit Europe for the very first time from her home in Japan to perform at the ARS Electronica Centre in Linz, Austria from June 20. She will perform alongside her cousin, cycling robot MURATA BOY, at demonstrations at the ARS Electronica Centre and in Linz's main square. MURATA BOY will also accompany young cyclists around an obstacle course on the ARS Electronica Centre's main deck.

MURATA GIRL is a unicycle specialist whose ultrasound sensors enable her to keep a fixed distance away moving objects. She has a gyro sensor and a flywheel in her chest which help her to keep her balance. She can ride forwards and backwards as she has ultrasound sensors in the front of her body. She is very shy and has been known to blush!

MURATA GIRL's cousin, MURATA BOY, is a cycling robot, capable of riding his bike along a 2cm-wide balance beam and can even nimbly negotiate tight S-curves. MURATA BOY also has sophisticated gyro sensors and a flywheel in his chest to help him balance. Like MURATA GIRL, his batteries are carried in his backpack. MURATA BOY can be controlled via a remote control with advanced motion sensing technology. He has the same ultrasound sensors as MURATA GIRL and he can avoid crashing!

Both MURATA GIRL and MURATA BOY have been developed by Murata to illustrate Murata's electronics expertise and the robots are regularly demonstrated to Japanese schoolchildren to try to get them interested in pursuing careers in technology.