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• One exhibit at the March International Robot Exhibition in Tokyo attracted a lot of attention: Kawasaki's Bex, a prototype robot goat that can carry 220 pounds of cargo (or humans).
The Bex is named after the ibex, a large wild goat of Eurasia and Africa that's famously sure-footed, Engadget reported.
However, on flat surfaces, Bex moves along on wheels attached to its "knees," and on rougher terrain, it walks at a slower pace.
Kawasaki reportedly envisions it being used to transport construction materials and to carry out remote industrial site inspections. [Engadget, 3/14/2022]
• Need socks? Need exercise? Souki Socks, a small factory in Japan's Nara Prefecture, has you covered -- or at least your toes.
The company devised a contraption that combines a stationary bike with a sock-knitting machine and called it Charix.
Before customers sit down, Oddity Central reported, they choose the size and colors for their socks.
Riders pedal for about 10 minutes; the staff sew the toes and finish the socks on the spot, and happy clients take the new pair home. [Oddity Central, 3/21/2022]