1.
GVs & SVs Balloon being inflated (4 shots)
0.24

2.
SV & TV Dinosaur balloon with illuminated eye (2 shots)
0.32

3.
SCU Microcomputer which controls robots PULL BACK TO GV hand balloon waving around
0.40

4.
SVs & GV Children watching laughing tree (3 shots)
0.50

5.
GV Gulliver balloon trying to capture passers-by
0.55

6.
TV Elephant balloon waving its trunk
0.59

7.
GVs & GV Sea creature and hand balloons (3 shots)
1.11




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Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Professor Takahashi of the Tama University of Arts in Japan has invented the balloon robot, or 'babot', a new art form that gives children and adults immense pleasure. The professor's nylon creatures are inflated like balloons and then, like robots, are controlled by computers as they move sway. An immense dinosaur winks at its public, and a disembodied hand waves at spectators. Children giggle as a storybook tree -- with a face on its trunk -- laughs. A five-metre-high (15 ft) Gulliver figure, in a dashing scarlet coat, stoops and flails his arms about tot catch passers-by. Even starfish and sea-urchins are brought to life, and given fluorescent colours. The professor believes that infinite possibilities are opened up by this new field of art.