Japanese robotics

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ASIMO is a humanoid robot invented by Honda.
ASIMO is a humanoid robot invented by Honda.


While robots often elicit ambivalent reactions in the west, because of the not-so-distant possibility that the technology may play an integral roll 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.[1] The popular Japanese manga and anime series Astro Boy featuring a robot boy as hero may have contributed to this sentiment.

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[edit] 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 which flourished in Osaka's Dotonbori district.[2]

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.[3]

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

[edit] Types of Robots

[edit] Humanoid Entertainment Robots

  • ASIMO, manufactured by Honda
  • QRIO
  • HOAP(*1) Robot Series (Humanoid for Open Architecture Platform), Manufactured by Fujitsu [4]
  • TOYOTA Partner Robot, manufactured by Toyota. [5]

[edit] Androids

Androids are robots designed to strongly resemble humans.

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

[edit] Animal (four legged) robots

Aibo playing with kids
Aibo playing with kids

[edit] Social robots

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

[edit] Guard robots

  • Guardrobo D1 is manufactured by Sohgo Security Services.
  • Banryu, manufactured by Sanyo and TMSUK.[6]

[edit] Domestic robots

[edit] Mobility Robot

  • WL-16RIII, developed by Waseda University and TMSUK. [10]
  • i-foot, developed by Toyota. [11]
  • i-REAL, developed by Toyota. [12]
  • Murata Boy, developed by Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd. [13]

[edit] Rescue robots

[edit] Industrial Humanoid Robotics

[edit] 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

[edit] Characteristics

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

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 [16].

[edit] Japanese robotics companies

[edit] General robotics

[edit] Industrial robotics

[edit] See also

[edit] External links