Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi just launched from Baikonur Space Center, and is looking forward to being the first person to roll sushi in microgravity. Actual quote:

Noguchi is bringing the raw materials to the International Space Station, where he plans to prepare and serve "a couple of flavors of sushi." What varieties, how it will be prepared, and how the raw fish is stored for its sojourn in space has not been made public.

We'll keep you updated on this breaking news as it develops. Probably. [Pop Sci via TWBE]

Epoch will officially unveil this toy sushi train later this month at the Tokyo Toy Show. Doubtfully slated for a US release (most probably because the train's design wasn't meant to accommodate several pounds of cow meat dipped in butter), the train is a replica of Japan's famously fast N700 series Shinkansen. We're assuming that given the model's plastic construction, Epoch's mini Shinkansen delivers sushi at speeds slower than 186MPH.

But as anyone who's played with a cheap toy train around the holidays can attest, plans for your pricey toro could quickly derail mid-transit, adding a bit of carpet lint and dog hair to your typical wasabi and soy sauce mix. Still, you could do worse than eating off the floor. I mean, once you've taken a ride on the sushi train, you can't just go back to the humdrum life of plates. (Trust me. My quest for unique dining experiences dictates that I only accept food delivered via a Dolly Parton impersonator bungee jumping from a hot air balloon. The thought of anything less makes me want to vomit.) [HobbyMedia]

The Chef Robot, model M-430iA hand type H (yes, after Man's fall, robots will actually categorize our various limbs with cold, alphabetic precision), can gently relocate small objects like sushi and pharmaceuticals (two of our favorite pastimes) without crushing or dropping the precious cargo.

It's too early to determine whether or not bodily fluids like blood, puss or liquefied, decomposing skin will taint the dining experience. But robots, people, robots! [Mainichi Daily News via TokyoMango]

Apparently, it works in a similar fashion as an old-timey cigarette roller with the seaweed being wrapped around the core with a few turns of the handle. It's only a concept at this point, but I don't see any reason why it couldn't make the leap to a real world product. [Osko+Deichmann via Domestic Geek via Gearfuse]

The fun almost stops when some lady in the kitchen gets uppity, but luckily enough the sushi chefs put it back on track and back to its owner. Is a sushi place the only place with a conveyer belt? I can't think of any other restaurant type that does this. I would like to see more, though.

If you're looking for a more surreal trip around a sushi belt, here you go. [Boing Boing]

Dennis Wheatley and Stefan McClean were sitting in a sushi bar trying to figure out how to film things all by themselves. This film is the result, and this, Jeremy Piven, is how the sushi feels when you're stuffing your face full of it. [Serious Eats]

You can get a 36-inch version for $330, a 25-inch version for $230 and a 20-inch version for $180 if you're interested in playing sushi chef in your own home. Even if you're not, you could always use this to display your new Verizon BlackBerry Storm, the world's first touchscreen brick that works just about as well as one of these colored blocks. [Vikki Smyth]

[Ideashow via Nerd Approved]

Sounds pretty industrial/restaurant to us, but great if you like to have sushi every day of the week. Or really like robots. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Sushi Expert via Sushi Robots - Thanks Keebs!]

Product Page [Via Gearlog]

Product Page [Sushi@Home via Red Ferret]