Robotics - Tokyo Intro: Experience #31 of 55

Japan has a lot of robots, but you will not run into them everywhere, unless you count vending machines, which are a simple type of non-humanoid robot.

The country employs over a quarter million industrial robots now and expects to employ over a million by 2025.  Japan manufactures about half of the industrial robotics in the world, and is a leader in developing human-like robots to assist humans and provide emotional supports.  Part of the push into robotics is driven because of a shortage of workers due to Japan’s declining population, but the Japanese also love robots.

• Some of Japan’s humanoid robots are: Honda ASIMO, Softbank Pepper, Kirobo, Toyota T-HR3 and human-like robots like Erica or Otonaroid at the Miraikan.  They are also investing in nursing care robots for the elderly, and exoskeleton suits to augment human strength and mobility.
• Softbank also owns Boston Dynamics (sold 80% stake to Hyundai in 2020), the maker of  humanoid and quadraped robots like BigDog, Spot, Atlas, and Handle.  You have seen these demoed on science shows and on Youtube where they show off their advanced mobility.
• The Japanese acceptance of humanoid robots or even robot pets (such as the Sony AIBO robot dog) is interesting.  They do not see robots as threats (like Terminators), but more as friends and curiosities, and can see them integrated into society.
  
  This might be due to:
• Manga and anime have been showing people and robots working together since Astro Boy was published in 1952.  Giant robot or mecha anime shows are a significant genre and new shows are made every year involving them.
• Shinto concepts where every object is imbued with a spirit, something that includes manufactured objects.
• Japanese society has firm notions of place for people and things.  You have a box for everything and it should belong there.
  
• Anime such as Ghost in the Shell involve artificial intelligence and explore whether an AI can be truly intelligent or even have a soul.
• During the Edo Period, karakuri puppets were manufactured for entertainment.  These mechanical dolls could perform simple movements, pour tea, shoot arrows, etc.

You can see or meet some of these robots at:

• Honda Asimo at the Miraikan and Honda Welcome Plaza.
• Pepper at the Pepper Parlor coffeehouse and large Softbanks stores in Omotesando and other locations.
• Aibo at the Aibo Room at the Sony Square Shibuya Project, and at Ginza Sony Park.
• There is also the Robot Restaurant, which is really a high-tech dance cabaret with some robotics, not the same as these other robots.
• Kawasaki Robostage https://kawasakirobotics.com/jp-sp/robostage/en/
• Dawn Avatar Robot Café Tokyo https://dawn2021.orylab.com/en/
  

My visit to IREX - the big robot trade show in Tokyo that is held every other year.

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