A Tokyo department store has recently unveiled an unusual shop window display.

The store window of Takashimaya, situated in the Shinjuku entertainment district, is now home to an incredibly realistic mannequin robot.

This mannequin android is currently being used to highlight the stores Valentines Day special offers.

Built by renowned inventor Dr Hiroshi Ishiguro, the robotic mannequin is able to achieve up to 60 realistic facial expressions as well as smiling, blinking and even yawning.

Dr Ishiguro is already well known for his work at Osaka University’s Robotic laboratory and the creation of the ‘Geminoid’ robots.

However, his work displayed in the window of Takashimaya is a potentially important development in the future of mannequin displays.

Japan Trends quoted Dr. Ishiguro saying: “I see this as the future of shop displays. We have tried to make it more lifelike through not programming her to react to every shopper in sudden movements but in a more natural way and arranged her in a pose as if waiting for someone”.

Could this remarkable piece of technology usher in a new dawn of moving, interactive shop fittings and window displays?

Only time will tell, and with Japan far and away the leaders in robotic research and technology it could be some time before we see such displays hitting the streets of Europe.

In a ceremony marking just 6 months until the 2012 Olympic games commence, organisers have officially taken control of the accommodation for the athletes.

The Olympic Village features more than 2,800 flats designed to hold 16,000 participants in the international sporting event.

It has been revealed that an incredible 170,000 clothes hangers will be needed to meet the demands of the athletes and officials residing in the village.

This incredible amount of coat hangers is mentioned alongside a large list of furniture and accessories including 64,000 bed sheets, 11,000 sofas and 5,000 toilet brushes.

Talking to the BBC, John Nicholson from the ODA said “The idea is to try and ensure that we’re combining the requirements of the athletes during the Games with the requirements of the local community in the legacy after the Games”

The ‘Village Plaza’ will serve as the main social hub of the games.

This plaza will feature shops and services for the athletes including cafes, general stores, a bank, internet and wi-fi areas and more.

The Olympic village is planned to be turned into part-affordable after the conclusion of the games.

The British Retail Consortium’s (BRC’s) Retail Crime Survey 2011 has painted a worrying picture for UK high street businesses in regard to store security and retail theft.

The survey, published on Monday (16th January 2012) reports that the overall cost of retail crime has risen by up to 31%.

This increase, with a cost of around £1.4 billion, is being largely attributed to an increase in organised criminal enterprises targeting the retail sector.

A notable mention in the report was the apparent rise in the use of weapons and physical violence.

Robberies on the retail industry have increased by 20 per cent, as has the cost-per-incident which now stands at £989.

The total value of goods stolen over 2011 is up £10 million on 2010 to a staggering £147 million.

However, the report also highlights that there have been fewer incidents for many types of crime. It seems that this decrease in other forms of retail theft has been due to increased use of more secure shop fittings.

Many businesses took steps to improve the security of their retail shop fittings in the wake of the August riots.

Stephen Robertson, the Director General of the BRC was quoted in the report as saying: “Retailers have made significant investment to protect their staff, stock and premises from opportunistic crime. The falling number of many types of crime is testament to the sector’s own efforts.”

He continued: “What is left is a core of more serious and organised criminals who are making off with goods in larger quantities and of higher value. These are violent law-breakers who pose a danger to society at large, not solely the retail sector.”

A handbag designer based in Pont Street, has recently installed several mannequins in the image of Margaret Thatcher.

Coinciding with the release of Oscar-tipped film “The Iron Lady”, the Anya Hindmarch store now boasts several incredibly well decorated mannequins that capture her image superbly.

The display truly shows what can be achieved with a well thought out mannequin display.

Each mannequin is dressed in the ex Prime Minister’s signature blue tweed clothing, pearls and unmistakable hair-style, courtesy of some quality wigs.

Anya Hindmarch was quoted as saying: ‘The cleverest thing about Thatcher’s image was how her clothes never detracted from her character.”

“That was quite a feat, I suspect, to look good and still not be talked about for your clothes”.

Professional help appears to have been drafted in to help create such a dazzling display.

Costume designer Tamar Zaig, who created the Spitting Image puppet of Thatcher, collaborated with Hindmarch on the mannequins.

‘The Iron Lady’, directed by Phyllida Lloyd, has received particular praise for Meryl Streep’s portrayal of Baroness Thatcher.

Indian police have reportedly charged a local tattoo artist with an obscenity charge over a mannequin he was using to display his work.

Nirav Brahmbhatt was apparently arrested for ‘publicly displaying obscene objects and offending public morality’.

The artist, whose business lies near the Shivranjani crossroads in Ahmedabad, was later bailed.

Police reportedly found a male and female mannequin at the tattoo studio, both of which were covered with tattoos to show customers how each tattoo would look on their body.

The male mannequin appears to have been left alone, however the female mannequin was covered up with a shirt.

A Police spokesman said: “Passersby, many of them women and children, found the nude mannequins obscene. We sent a police team there and arrested the artist.”

UK retailers enjoyed buoyant sales as consumers fought through the post-Christmas lethargy and hit the high street.

Up to 1 million shoppers are expected to swarm the clothes racks and fashion displays at Kent’s Bluewater shopping centre this week.

Elsewhere, retailers in Oxford Street and Regent Street reported sales were up almost 10% on 2009.

Boxing day trading was described as “very robust”, despite a tube strike, as consumers looked to get an early deal before the January sales.

Fears that the tube strike could have major negative effects for retailers over the Christmas break now look to have been largely unfounded.

Mild weather also seems to have encouraged consumers to venture onto the high street over the bank holidays.

The buoyant trading was also echoed around other parts of the country as retailers enjoyed a busy dénouement to 2011.

There are now only a few more days left until everyone shuts up shop and enjoys Christmas and the new year!

Although we’ll be shutting down for a couple of days we understand that your display needs don’t completely disappear over the holiday period so we’re staying open for many of the days between now and the start of 2012.

So no matter what shop fittings you’re after you’ll be able to order online every day in December and we’ll process and dispatch the order as soon as we’re back in.

If you order next day delivery before 2pm on Thursday 22nd December you’ll still receive your good in time for Christmas.

Order a next day delivery before 2pm on Thursday 29th December to receive goods in time for the new year.

2012 promises more new products (including even more display cabinets), bigger special offers and even better value for our customers.

From all the team here at Displaysense we wish you a Merry Christmas and very happy new year!

Here are our opening hours for the holiday period: