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US Military’s Newest Robot Gets Upgrade… In Cuteness!

US Military’s Newest Robot Gets Upgrade… In Cuteness!

Robotic Firm Boston Dynamic working with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) made a splash with a demonstration video of a highly functioning quadrupedal robot called LS3 (Legged Squad Support System).

When many internet fiends in Japan laid eyes on it they couldn’t help but think of Homo, a parody of girls into homoerotic art (fujoshi). It was developed on Twitter from ASCII art (┌（┌＾o＾）┐ﾎﾓｫ). Since then it has become something of a subculture phenomenon spawning various merchandise.

A few months later, has the US military improved LS3 enough to quell the giggling of otaku everywhere? Let’s see.

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Homo Toys Raise Issues of Meme Trademarks and Corporate Coopting of Them

Homo Toys Raise Issues of Meme Trademarks and Corporate Coopting of Them

Awhile back we ran an article about the US Navy’s latest robot resembling a Japanese Twitter meme called Homo.

Originally created to mock the homoerotic anime-loving Japanese female (fujoshi), homo is a somewhat humanoid creature the crawls along on all fours and utters “homooooo” as it searches far and wide for gay porn.

On twitter this little guy/gal/thing is represented by the ASCII characters ┌（┌　＾o＾）┐, however several artistic depictions can be found on twitter or if you check our previous article.

The cute little whatever has found a following among the Japanese internet to the point that some are trying to profit from Homo.  A reporter from Byokan Sunday recently encountered a capsule machine with a line of Homo figurines, but is this legal?

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U.S. Marines Latest Robot Tested Outdoors, Japanese Net Thinks It Looks Like a Homo

U.S. Marines Latest Robot Tested Outdoors, Japanese Net Thinks It Looks Like a Homo

Robotics Company Boston Dynamics has recently uploaded a video their Legged Squad Support System (LS3) being tested in rugged outdoor terrain.  The robot is designed to carry equipment for soldier over uneven landscapes.

It’s a pretty incredible feat of engineering with only one apparent flaw: It reminds Japanese Twitter users of Homo, a recent meme that has swept the nation.

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