ASIMO: can we live together with robots in harmony?

[Astroboy]

Japanese companies are developing more intelligent robots. Typical examples include Honda's ASIMO. It's so cute, and everybody loves this robots in Japan as well as worldwide.

ASIMO Official site: Honda Global | Honda Motor Co.,Ltd.

Technology always move more Forward and help us have a better life, I believe. But as we saw our past history, I'm sure that somebody may think .... "Okay, we can use this technology for making "Robotic Soldier".

can we live together with robots in harmony???? Or Robot may become a threat to us in the future? How do you think?

 

[Goldiegirl]

I've been to the Honda headquarters twice and both times watched the demonstration of Asimo. I find "it" really creepy. I always think it (he) is going to go haywire and attack, and there would be no way to stop it (him). It is cool though, and I would like a robot to do my laundry and fold it and put it away for me!

 

[nice gaijin]

I've seen Asimo in person as well, but I don't find the current state of robotics to be particularly impressive. I'm not worried about any "I, Robot" situations happening in my lifetime.

 

[Astroboy]

Yeah, creepy and scary in a way.... but contrary it looks "kawaii" to me.

Many countries including Japan face ageing population more or less. In Japan, labor shortage has increasingly been more serious issue. Younger people don't like to do physically hard, dirty and dangerous work. Work at hospital or care house is reportedly being tough but low pay.

If robots replace those works, people may take different works with maintaining quality of life. Don't you think so?

 

[Astroboy]

The new receptionist at the Shopping Center provides a glimpse into the future. For work, for play, for shopping and in all sorts of other settings, robots are just now beginning to become a part of daily life of Japan.

 

[pipokun]

Robot Award 2007 goes to M-430iA by Fanuc


I am good at massage of one's shoulders, but the robot does not worry about shoulder stiffness, so I will have to find a job in which I would cheer up or flatter the great job by robots.

Fanuc
http://www.fanuc.co.jp/en/product/robot.htm

 

[Annubis]

I heard that there was an android released in Japan last week. It supposedly looks like a human being. I wonder if Kevin Warwick was around.

www
.theregister.
co.uk/2004/08/02/
captain_cyborg_chips_brain/

 

[Kyoto Returnee]

I am good at massage of one's shoulders, but the robot does not worry about shoulder stiffness, so I will have to find a job in which I would cheer up or flatter the great job by robots.

That's a good point.

Let's hope someone invents a sensor for the robots hand/s so he can give a good massage..

 

[ZENKAIpower]

I think that Japanese people take this robots too seriously. And thats why Japan is #1.
In my country we would probably make fun of them and consider them like toys. Of course that could change if robots became much more advanced than now.

 

[pipokun]

窶愿ｺ窶怒ﾅ津ｪ窶堙坂?凖岩?堋ｶ窶堙懌?堋ｹ窶堙ｱ
ﾂ「窶督ｲ窶堋｢窶堙灰X ﾆ椎槌暖ﾆ椎?ﾆ弛ﾂーﾂ」窶堙債、ﾆ短ﾆ椎槌置窶堙可人窶ｹC窶堙姑椎槌暖ﾆ椎?ﾆ弛ﾂー窶堙ｰﾆ停?堡断ﾆ停?ｹ窶堙俄?堋ｵ窶堋ｽﾆ陳哉畜ﾆ鍛ﾆ暖ﾅ陳｢ﾂ。窶堙｢窶堙坂?堙ｨ窶ｰﾂｹﾂ青ｺ窶戳ﾅｽﾂｯ窶ｹ@窶拿窶堙ｰ窶敕ｵ窶堋ｦ窶堙??堋｢窶堙ｩ窶堙娯?堋ｾ窶堋ｪﾂ、窶堋ｱ窶堋ｿ窶堙ｧ窶堙坂?ｰpﾅ津ｪ窶堙??督ｽ窶氾溪?堋ｵ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙?従窶堙ｭ窶堙遺?堋｢ﾂ。窶堙や?堙懌?堙ｨﾂ「窶堙凪?堋ｹﾂ」窶堙??堙坂?堙遺?堋ｭﾂ「ﾆ椎槌辰ﾆ胆ﾆ脱ﾆ停?慊」窶堙?陳ｾ窶堙ｭ窶堙遺?堋｢窶堙?胆ﾆ陳?。

No Japanese!
Dream Dog DX Retriever by Sega Toys has a speech-recognition function, but it follows your order only in English.
You have to say "Lay down", not "Fu-se".

しゃべる猫に逆立ちする犬、"夢のロボット"に新種続々

しゃべる猫に逆立ちする犬、"夢のロボット"に新種続々

I've got to find a school which enables me to communicate with the robo-dog first... Life is getting harder and harder in Japan.

 

[karlyboo]

TBH the state of robots is still light years away from a robot that can genuinely think like a human, so I don't think we need to worry about our relations with them too much at the moment

On an associated note my boss brought his Aibo in to work the other day. It's slow, clunky and very beepy but incredibly charming to play with I'd love one if i had the money, but I think one of the Roomba vacuum robots would be more useful.

 

[Han Chan]

Japanese companies are developing more intelligent robots. Typical examples include Honda's ASIMO. It's so cute, and everybody loves this robots in Japan as well as worldwide.
ASIMO Official site: Honda Global | Honda Motor Co.,Ltd.
Technology always move more Forward and help us have a better life, I believe. But as we saw our past history, I'm sure that somebody may think .... "Okay, we can use this technology for making "Robotic Soldier".
can we live together with robots in harmony???? Or Robot may become a threat to us in the future? How do you think?

Interesting topic! I heard that one of the reasons for japanese beeing more positive - even affectionate - towards robots, should be that caracters like Astroboy and Doraemon are loved. Loving cartoon robots should have made it easier for the japanese to accept the real ones.

In Denmark people are generally suspicious towards robots. However, recently the robot seal Paro have become popular as a therapeutic tool for people suffering from dementia and alzheimer. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paro_(robot)

 

[pipokun]

The death of HD-DVD brings a robo phone
ソフトバンクモバイルは27日に、携帯電話の新機種「フォンブレイバー SoftBank 815T PB」（東芝製）を、 4月下旬以降に発売することを発表した。
Soft Bank Mobile announced a new phone, Phone Braver SoftBank 815T PB, by Toshiba would be launched in April.
http://www.rbbtoday.com/cgi-bin/news/pict/20080227/49062/jpg/49062-sbm_mi20080227__01.html

This is just like a plastic model. But I am wondering what would happen if you could enjoy a real cell phone robo bout:
when you lose it, all data would be deleted from your phone.

Japanese cellphones to turn into 'robot' buddies
TOKYO (AFP) - For those who feel a bit lonely just talking on the phone, a Japanese company is offering a cellphone that turns into a robot buddy ready to chat.
...
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080228/tts-lifestyle-japan-it-telecom-offbeat-9baddeb.html

 

[Annubis]

That is so kewl! I'm so gonna have to get one to go with the robot earings I got today! I think I'm turning Japanese. I really think so.

 

[Han Chan]

Personally I think I prefer "cute" robots which are smaller than humans. If they are only the size of a child, they do not seem so intimidating. Anyway I think we will have to get used to be sorounded by robots in the future.



I find the experiments by Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro with his human like "humanoid" robots very interesting. Here is a quote from the article I found on the web: "In stark contrast with the Western fear that androids could become strong enough to overpower human beings, the Japanese forsee a future in which humans and androids work together amicably and productively".

A Walk in the Valley of the Uncanny

 

[Goldiegirl]

Cute is better, but I still think they are creepy, along with clowns.

 

[pipokun]

http://www.kokoro-dreams.co.jp/english/robot/act/gallery.html
Miss Pilgrimage...

Robot Geisha @youtube
Anyways, some humans cannot overcome the image, woman in kimono=geisha.

reference
Shikoku Pilgrimage
The Shikoku Pilgrimage is a pilgrimage of eighty-eight temples on the island of Shikoku, Japan. It is believed all eighty-eight temples were visited by the famous Buddhist monk Kūkai, who was born in Zentsūji, Shikoku in 774.
Shikoku Pilgrimage - Wikipedia

 

[dreamer]

There are many of these types of project advertised all around the internet.
Alas, we still have a long way to go in terms of artificial intelligence and in terms of mobility before we can hope to see androids/gynoids walking among us.
The big problem is to overcome what is called the "uncanny valley". Will humans be able to accept artificial beings that look close to humans but are not humans? That seems unlikely since mankind already has difficulties accepting differences between ethnicities...

 

[Goldiegirl]

I don't think humans can live in harmony regardless...and robots would eventually be used against humans by humans.

 

[tzvete]

I watched this SIMO demo and I was really amazed how "human" this robot is.Thinking of growing-old population not only in Japan,but all over the world,this must be very useful in the future.

 

[Astroboy]

Denmark to introduce Japanese therapeutic robot Paro+

The Danish government announced Thursday a plan to introduce the Paro therapeutic robot baby seal developed in Japan for nursing homes.
It plans to take delivery of some 1,000 Paro robots by 2011 to cover almost all facilities for aged people in Denmark.

The Paro, which cries in response to petting, is certified by Guinness World Records as the world's most therapeutic robot.

The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology has developed the robot for production by Intelligent System Co., a venture business based in Toyama Prefecture.
Breitbart News Network

More information is available at Mental Commitment Robot [PARO]

Sounds like a good idea for using robots for therapy or nursing care.

 

[heaven]

I think we can live with robot like Asimo, it will make our life more easy but we can't all depend on it, sometimes we should do it ourself.

For me I don't think robot will attack us but that robot design for war possibly will.

Is that many robot fair or robot competition in japan?

 

[Astroboy]

I think we can live with robot like Asimo, it will make our life more easy but we can't all depend on it, sometimes we should do it ourself.
For me I don't think robot will attack us but that robot design for war possibly will.
Is that many robot fair or robot competition in japan?

YES, of course.

History of Robot Contest started in Japan from 1988. The contest was focused on a kind of Athletic festival among Japan's Tech Colleges. Today the contest spread across universities in Japan, and in Asia-Pacific, and Worldwide.

Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2009 will be held in Tokyo in August 2009.
http://www.aburobocon2009.com/

As far as I know, Malaysian universities always participated in the contest.

 

[European Union]

The European Union is already testing a robot which will guard the EU borders. The trials will last for a while before they are eventually used. All of them are fully automatic, but humans sitting kms away will be able to cut in and take control any time they wish.


As for robotic suits, robotic warriors and other combatc technology, this is all in trial already. UAVs are used by America, Australia, the EU and many other countries. The Americans are experimenting with nano technology suits and magnetic liquid armor which turns hard upon projectile impact. Eventually USA and EU soldiers will be able to carry something like 100 kilo worth of equipment. Their armour will have aircondition and other luxuries. To top this of, the Americans are quite keen to develop combat robots.


By the way, the South Koreans already have a robot walking around the Korean border. So it is not so new any longer. As for practical robots, Australia is king. Australian robots are the best for mining, patrolling and deep sea drilling. Some of the best robots for those purposes are made by Australia. Japan is only better at making human like robots that walk and do things that currently have little economic value. Australian robots can already be used.


If you are interested in a crazy Australian automated weapon, search on youtube this tag "Metal Storm". One of its weapons can fire over 1 million bullets per minute, fully automated without any human input if necessary. China tried to bribe the founder of the Metal Storm company for 300 million dollars, to move to China and work for the Chinese government. Lucky for you guys in Japan this man refused.

 

[heaven]

Astroboy have you been went to the Asia-Pasific Robot contest ?

Are you a robotic engineer ?