Science makes us wonder and feel excited, helping us create a better future. With the help of our original robots, MURATA BOY and MURATA GIRL, we show children throughout Japan how wonderful science is.
MURATA GIRL
MURATA BOY
MURATA BOY, the ever-popular original character of Murata, was unveiled in 2005. As a bicycling robot without parallel in the world, we have actively demonstrated MURATA BOY in education programs. In such events, we had been asked many questions, such as “Can he ride a unicycle?” and “Why is there a MURATA BOY but no MURATA GIRL?” In response, we have developed MURATA GIRL, a younger cousin of MURATA BOY. As Murata’s new character, MURATA GIRL made her debut in 2008.
While MURATA BOY is a bicycling-riding robot with one gyro sensor that enables postural control in the horizontal direction, MURATA GIRL is a unicycle-riding robot with two gyro sensors that enable postural control in all directions.
To incorporate ideas from women’s perspectives, three women employees working at our Yasu Plant were put in charge of character creation and external design of MURATA GIRL. These women employees were selected for the mission, since they were graduates from art universities, though not professional designers. Usually, component manufacturers have little opportunity to show their products to many people. MURATA BOY and MURATA GIRL are therefore important means of presenting Murata employees’ achievements.
Many discussions were held between designers, who wished to give MURATA GIRL the image of an active and cute girl, and engineers, who had to incorporate complex mechanisms in her body.
The three women employees are usually engaged in CAD for machine design. When they are asked to handle the external design of MURATA GIRL, they were so astonished that they thought it was some kind of joke. “MURATA GIRL is active but shy. To express such a personality, we asked engineers to incorporate a function that makes her appear flushed when she feels shy.” “We wanted MURATA GIRL to be appealing, to be a robot that everyone would want to cheer on.” “She wears a big dress, because it is full of dreams!”
Production Engineering
Development Dept. 2,
Production Engineering Unit
From left:
Miyako Kabumoto
Mitsuko Hashizume
Yukari Kimura
MURATA BOY and MURATA GIRL play major roles in science classes held for schoolchildren to impart the wonders of science to them. In recent years, we have faced the problem of children moving away from science in Japan. In response to this problem, since 2006 Murata has offered such lessons at our Head Office, factories, subsidiaries, and in their neighborhoods.
In fiscal 2008, the Murata Group held a total of 102 science lessons.
Specifically, Tokyo Branch held electronic handicraft classes at CEATEC JAPAN 2007. In 2009, 40 children were invited to the Tokyo Branch office, where they worked on manufacturing line trace cars using soldering irons. Employees of Izumo Murata Manufacturing take MURATA BOY and MURATA GIRL to local elementary schools to give science classes for children. We were pleased to hear children’s comments such as “I’m going to enjoy science” and “I’ve begun to find science classes at school more interesting.” A mother said “Although I’d thought my child was restless and lacked patience, I was happy to see my child working hard without giving up.” These comments are a source of excitement for Murata employees.
The centerpiece of the science class is the manufacturing of a line trace car. Children draw the lines along which the car runs. You would be surprised to see how artistically they draw these lines!
