20 Things Robots in Japan Can Do
Japan is closer to having live in/work in robots than any country in the world.
Imagine having a kid who doesn't talk back, a wife who doesn't nag, a husband who doesn't come home plowed, a friend who makes sushi, a worker who plants rice and a home helper who cleans the house.
Japan is the closest to making all of these scenarios a reality.
Japanese robots:
1. can simulate basic expressions- anger, fear, sadness, happiness, surprise, disgust
2. are welcomed at factories with Shinto religious ceremonies
3. make sushi
4. plant rice
5. tend to rice paddies
5. work as receptionists
6. vacuum corridors
7. spoon feed the elderly
8. serve tea
9. greet company guests
10. work as guides at public technology displays
11. are furry and have whiskers
12. are portrayed as friendly helpers in Japanese popular culture
13. don't threaten the Japanese psyche if they have feelings
14. don't claim overtime or draw pensions - none of the 370,000+ of the lot
15. can outwork 10 employees
16. give Japan an edge in international competitiveness
17. can build more complex cars, surgical equipment
18. can play with you or your children
19. are trying to understand child development at Osaka University
20. are learning to learn at Osaka University.
If only we could get real people to do all these things. If only I could do them.
The dream is to some day have to ask, "Are you human? Or, are you a robot?"
The answer - "It depends what you have in mind."
Tags: 2960, 4339POSTED IN: Japanese Products
1 opinion for 20 Things Robots in Japan Can Do
coeli
Mar 31, 2008 at 7:54 am
I wish I had a robot. Not to help me with household chores but to have someone to play with. That would be very cool. But to think that they’re starting to resemble humans more closely, especially with the “emotions”, is quite creepy.
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