Having majored in Asian Studies, I pretty much had to read up on the highlights of literature throughout Asia.  That means I had to study Tang poems, haikus, obscure Egyptian novels — you name it, I pretty much read it.  Which was really good for me, considering my love for books and literature.

Still, nothing has prepared me for this latest offering from Japan: it’s Murasaki Shikibu 2.0.  Okay, so that “2.0″ bit is my own addition, but it does feel a bit that way.  In case you didn’t know, Murasaki Shikibu is believed to be (and credited as) the author of the classic Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji) — a convoluted tale of love, intrigue, drama, politics and incest.  Nobody does it like the Japanese, I always say.

Anyway, for some reason, Kyoto University’s Robo-Garage has created a prototype of a Lady Murasaki robot.  This iron lady is designed to tell her tale while moving around gracefully in a pretty kimono.  It’s interesting in a “I don’t really need one and it’s nerdy but sort of cool so I think I want one” kind of way. After all, it’s literature and science combined, and how often do you see that happen?

[Seen on Crunch Gear]

Tags: kyoto university, literature, murasaki shikibu, robo-garage, tale of genji