About Aiko: Past, Present & Future

A Young Boy’s Dream…

In the past year, I have been repeatedly asked why I wanted to build Aiko. It actually starts back in the 70s during my childhood where I spent a lot of time watching Japanese anime which often featured robot themes. I remember saying to myself as a child, “I will build one of those when I grow up.” Throughout my life, I have built many prototypes and smaller robots. However, the greatest motivation came after watching “Chobits.” That was when I decided I had to build a life size gynoid (robot designed to look like a human female). It was August 15, 2007. And I knew that all I needed to build it was a little inspiration and passion.


The origin of Aiko's name...

To personify an object and make it feel real, the first thing it requires is a name. To make my robot human, she needed a name that would make people believe she exists. It took me nearly two weeks to finally decide on just the right name – Aiko. Aiko (愛子) means “beloved one” in Japanese. I wanted the world to be able to connect with her human-likeness and at the same time not feel threatened by her technology. I am not sure if subconsciously I chose this name because it was the name of one of my childhood friends. I remember my friend was kind and always there for me. Unfortunately, I have lost contacted with her since I moved to Canada from Japan when I was 8 years old. Aiko cannot ever replace my friend, but I hope that this technology will help others feel comfort and support the way my friend did for me.

NO perfection...

The Japanese are obsessed with perfection. Living in Japan when I was young, I always admired this quality and tried to be perfect in everything I did. However, as I grew older, I realized that nothing in the world we live in is perfect. If something is perfect, then there is nothing left for us to do. There is no room for imagination, no way to gain additional knowledge or grow. For inventors such as myself, if we make something perfect, then we have failed because it will not have created inspiration in others. It is my goal to create a humanoid that is more wonderful than anything before, but there will always be space for improvement. Aiko and the BRAINS software will never be perfect, but I assure you, it will always continue to develop, progress and mature. Aiko and her software have almost limitless possibilities. But the one thing that I will never be able to give her is true emotion or a soul.

What’s next?

For the foreseeable near future, I will complete Aiko version 2 on my own. I know there are many who doubt my work, but it is not about money or pride. It is about a young boy who is determined to see his dream come true.

To all those who believe in me, thank you for your support! Please help a young boy’s dream come true. Your donations will help to complete Aiko’s leg systems and help Aiko walk.
Your donations help Aiko become a reality. With even as little as $ 1, you will be a part of history in the making
Donation click here!

Regards,
Le Trung