Japanese robotics

While robots often elicit ambivalent reactions in the west, because of the not-so-distant possibility that the technology may play an integral role in the future due to a quickly aging, large generation of baby boomers in Japan, Japanese society generally shows a high enthusiasm for all kinds of robots. [http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUST27506220080408]

History of Japanese Robotics

Among Japan's oldest robots are the karakuri ningyo, or mechanical dolls. Karakuri ningyo are believed to have originated in China. During the Edo period (1603-1867), Takeda-za developed a mechanical-puppet theater whichflourished in Osaka's Dotonbori district. [http://int.kateigaho.com/spr05/robots.html]

In middle of 20 century, Ichiro Kato professor of Waseda University studied humanoid robot. He made "WABOT-1" the full scale humanoid robot in 1973. WABOT-1 has two arms, walks by two legs, watches with two camera eyes. [http://www.humanoid.waseda.ac.jp/booklet/kato_2-j.html]

In 1996, Honda announced P2 humanoid robot. After that, a number of companies and institutes started to develop humanoid robots for many purposes.

Types of Robots

Humanoid Entertainment Robots

* ASIMO, manufactured by Honda
* QRIO
* HOAP(*1) Robot Series (Humanoid for Open Architecture Platform), Manufactured by Fujitsu [http://www.automation.fujitsu.com/en/products/products12.html]
* TOYOTA Partner Robot, manufactured by Toyota. [http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/special/robot/]

Androids

Androids are robots designed to strongly resemble humans.

*Actroid is a realistic female robot demonstrated most prominently at Expo 2005 in Japan.

Animal (four legged) robots

* AIBO is a commercial robotic dog manufactured by Sony Electronics.

ocial robots

*PaPeRo
*Paro, a robot baby seal intended for therapeutic purposes

Guard robots

*Guardrobo D1 is manufactured by Sohgo Security Services.
*Banryu, manufactured by Sanyo and TMSUK. [http://www.banryu.jp/index_e.html]

Domestic robots

*SmartPal V, manufactured by Yaskawa Electric Corporation. [http://www.yaskawa.co.jp/newsrelease/2007/25.htm]
*TWENDY-ONE, developed by Waseda University. [http://twendyone.com/index_e.html]
*TPR-ROBINA, manufactured by Toyota. [http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/07/0822.html]

Mobility Robot

*WL-16RIII, developed by Waseda University and TMSUK. [http://www.takanishi.mech.waseda.ac.jp/research/parallel/wl_16rrr/index.htm]
*i-foot, developed by Toyota. [http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/04/1203_1d.html]
*i-REAL, developed by Toyota. [http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/tech/p_mobility/i-real/index.html]
*Murata Boy, developed by Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd. [http://www.murataboy.com/en/index.html]

Rescue robots

*T-53 Enryu, manufactured by TMSUK. [http://www.enryu.jp/]

Industrial Humanoid Robotics

*HRP-3 PROMET Mk-II, manufactured by Kawada Industries, designed by Yutaka Izubuchi. [http://www.kawada.co.jp/mechs/mk-II/index.html]

Industrial Robotics

Eventually the deeper long term financial resources and strong domestic market enjoyed by the Japanese companies prevailed, their robots spread all over the globe. Only a few non-Japanese companies managed to survive in this market, including Adept Technology, Stäubli-Unimation, the Swedish-Swiss company ABB (ASEA Brown-Boveri), the Austrian manufacturer igm Robotersysteme AG and the German company KUKA Robotics.

This includes the one used by the robot based automative production plants. Assembly line robots

Characteristics

The Japanese movie Robocon (2003) is a fictional account of an inter-school robot competition.

Mobility and movement

One of the characteristics and advances of Japanese robotics over that of other countries is the movement and mobility of the robots used.

Commercial Applications

Japanese engineers expect robots to be available for commercial household use by 2010. The domestic market for Japanese commercial and industrial robots may be as high as $8 billion dollars by this time [http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/article/0,13673,501020701-265481,00.html] .

Japanese robotics companies

General robotics

* Sony Corporation
* Honda
* Toyota
* Toshiba

Industrial robotics

* Fuji Yusoki Kogyo
* Denso Corporation
* Epson
* FANUC
* Intelligent Actuator
* Kawasaki
* Nachi
* Nidec Sankyo
* Yaskawa Electric Corporation
* Kawada Industries

See also

* Baseball batting robot

External links

* [http://www.karakuri.info/ Karakuri]
* [http://int.kateigaho.com/spr05/robots.html Japan's Playful Robot Partners]
* [http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/article/0,13673,501020701-265481,00.html "Tin Men"] from Time Magazine
* [http://economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5323427&no_na_tran=1 "Better Than People"] , from the Economist
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8330600/ "Japanese robots to guard shops and offices"] , from MSNBC
* [http://www.bmc.riken.jp/~RI-MAN/index_us.html RI-MAN]
* [http://www.vdare.com/sailer/japanese_robots.htm Japanese robots]
* [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2005/08/25/apop.DTL ASIAN POP Robot Nation - Why Japan, and not America, is likely to be the world's first cyborg society] - SFGate.com
* [http://www.robot-museum.net/ Nagoya Robot museum, Japan] (page in Japanese)