CHAPTER ONE
Robots and Japan
IF IN THE FUTURE YOU BUY A HOUSEHOLD ROBOT, THE CHANCES ARE IT WILL BE JAPANESE
Japan is famous for its long tradition of automatons, or machines that look and act
like humans. In the 18th and 19th centuries, realistic human models, known as
Karakuri ningyo, or "dolls that trick," were seen in homes, theaters, and religious
ceremonies. The most common example was a small model of a woman in a kimono that
served cups of tea to guests.
These sophisticated dolls became highly popular. Interestingly, the great engineer
Tanaka Hisashige, founder of the company that would eventually become TOSHIBA,
actually started his career in the early 19th century as a maker of Karakuri dolls.
But Japan did not invent automatons. In fact, they have been with us for thousands
of years. The word automaton comes from the Greek "it moves itself." The 1st-
century Greek inventor Hero was famous for his automated machines, which included
moving dancers and fountains.
There are also many stories from ancient China of wooden automatons that sang,
danced, or served drinks. Later, in the 12th century, the Islamic scholar Al-Jazari
wrote a whole book on mechanisms and automatons, which included clocks, animals, a
waitress, and even a programmable musical band complete with flute-player and
drummer!
The English word robot comes from the Czech language and means "to serve." It was
first used in the 1920s in a play by the Czech writer Karel Capek, titled R.U.R.
(Rossum's Universal Robots). The play showed a futuristic world where human-like
machines did all the work. In Capek's play these machines could think and feel, and
eventually they rebelled against their human rulers.
By the 1920s in Japan robots were starting to appear in department stores. At
first, however, they were not much more than complicated Karakuri.
The first Japanese humanoid robot was created in 1928 and was called Gakutensoku,
or "Learning from the Laws of Nature." It was a Buddha-like model that used air to
move its head and hands.
Its creator, the biologist Makoto Nishimura, believed these machines were part of
nature. He is quoted as saying, "If one considers humans as the children of nature,
artificial humans created by the hand of man are thus nature's grandchildren." His
robot became a huge success and toured Asia and Europe.
Nishimura's opinions highlight the Japanese attitude to machines and technology and
the fascination they have with robots. This may be linked to Japan's Shinto
religion, whose followers regard all things as having spirits. Tools and all
objects made with tools possess their own special qualities, almost as if they were
individuals. Certainly the Japanese view of robots is very different from the views
traditionally held in Western cultures, which are often suspicious of robots.
The Japanese look upon robots as things of interest and beauty, designed to help
humans and make our lives better. This view was most famously expressed in the 1951
Manga comic, Tetsuwan Atomu. Atomu, or Astro Boy, as he was later known in the
West, was the first major robot character to show robots as friendly and helpful.
The Japanese love of comic book robot characters, together with the country's fast
increasing electronics industry, meant that by the 1980s Japan had become a world
leader in robot research and production. Today, more than a third of the world's
industrial robots work in factories in Japan.
As well as the typical industrial robots, many robots are designed simply as toys
or for entertainment. Animal robots, dancing robots, car-driving robots, even
piano- playing robots are all made and sold in Japan. And as technology improves,
the differences between humans and machines may become increasingly blurred.
CHAPTER TWO
Robot and Recreation
FOR THE JAPANESE, ROBOTS ARE A GREAT SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT.
Technically, a robot is any kind of autonomous self-controlled or remote-controlled
machine, often used in factories for dangerous or precision work. But when we think
of a robot, we often imagine a machine with a recognizably human face and figure.
These robots are called androids (from the Greek for man, andr-) and are
specifically designed to have characteristics that make them more attractive to
humans.
Japan has a keen interest in humanoid models. Karakuri dolls, for example, were
seen as more than models; they were respected as an art form. The Japanese
fascination with robots meant that in the late 20th century, when huge improvements
were being made in motors and computing, many electronics companies began to design
humanoid robots that could interact with people on a social level.
The first entertainment robot with commercial success was not a humanoid, however,
but a robot dog. Designed as a toy pet and launched in 1999, Sony's AIBO quickly
became popular worldwide. The AIBO (Japanese for "companion") could walk, could see
using cameras, and had special software that allowed it to develop from puppy to
adult, learning to play and understand up to 100 voice commands. Furthermore,
special programmable software allowed owners to change their AIBO's personality and
behavior.
Teams of AIBOs have even played at the annual RoboCup, a soccer tournament where
all the competitors must be autonomous robots.
Humanoid robots have proved more difficult to make. However, in 2000 Honda finally
introduced its first real humanoid robot, ASIMO.
ASIMO was able to help disabled people move around more easily. The robot could
recognize and respond to human movements and commands, and was aware of its
environment. It has made many public appearances, talking, dancing, and even
conducting an orchestra. Its little brother, the QRIO made by Sony, could run and
interact to such an extent that it was also capable of playing in the RoboCup.
Although the QRIO was too expensive to be produced commercially, there are now many
different humanoid robots available on the market. They are generally simpler, more
like expensive remote-controlled toys, but they are all humanoid and have some
degree of autonomy.
The lack of easily available or reasonably-priced humanoid robots hasn't stopped
Japan's robot enthusiasts. DIY robotics has become increasingly popular in recent
years, to such an extent that a robot championship, Robo-One, was started in 2002.
The championship consists of a series of tasks that the homemade robots must
perform. Tasks include falling from a standing position, getting up, walking,
jumping, and even competing against other robots in a one-on-one boxing match.
There has also been a Robo-One soccer match.
The robots in Robo-One are designed and built at home by individual designers, but
may use commercial parts. Many robots are made from aluminum and powered by small
electric motors.
One problem with two-legged robots is how to make them walk like us. Robots look
awkward when they walk because they constantly bend their knees. However, in 2011
the Nagoya Institute of Technology produced the first robot legs modeled on human
biomechanics. So naturally moving humanoids may soon be a common sight.
CHAPTER THREE
Robots and Money
JAPAN IS THE THIRD LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD AND HAS THE LARGEST ELECTRONICS
INDUSTRY, IN WHICH IT IS CONSIDERED A LEADING INNOVATOR.
The Japanese have traditionally been noted for the high quality of their
craftsmanship. European travelers arriving in Japan in the 16th and 17th century
were amazed at its architecture, metalwork, and technology.
After the Second World War, the Japanese emphasis on quality and precision helped
to create strong, dynamic industries, innovating in many areas. Japanese cars and
electronics became synonymous with quality, reliability, and affordability. This
led to continuous economic growth for over 30 years, which leveled off in the late
20th century.
As Japan enters the 21st century, the main problem its economy faces is a shortage
of workers, a result of an aging population and a falling birth rate. These changes
mean that, among other things, there are fewer workers to earn money or care for
the elderly.
Many people in Japan believe that the Japanese robotics industry may be the answer
to Japan's challenges, both economically (in 2010, the worldwide industry was worth
$5.6 billion), but also as a technology that can produce workers and caregivers for
the country's aging population.
CHAPTER FOUR
Robots and Work
WILL TOMORROW'S ROBOTS BE ABLE TO FULFILL A SOCIAL ROLE?
What can Japan do to solve the problem of the reduction in its workforce?
Traditionally suspicious of foreigners, the country seems reluctant to relax its
strict immigration policy, looking instead to the robotics industry to provide its
workers.
What would seem a strange solution in many other countries seems perfectly normal
to the electronics-obsessed Japanese. Robots in Japanese society already carry out
many different roles. Here are a few ways that robots are becoming a part of
everyday life in Japan.
Healthcare
One of the main shortages in workers in Japan at the moment is in healthcare,
especially for the elderly. Although there are many trained nurses available from
other parts of Asia, Japan allows very few immigrants into the country.
Consequently, many robotics firms are looking at the possibility of robot nurses.
Toyota launched four robot nursing models in 2013. These machines aren't humanoid,
but resemble motorized chairs, designed to help patients move around and get in and
out of bed.
A highly innovative use of a robot in healthcare can be found in Tokyo's Cyberdyne
gym. Here, users can exercise wearing robotic legs that recognize impulses made by
the brain when the person wants to walk. With practice, people who have problems
with their legs can walk around and do exercises.
Security
Several Japanese companies have built security robots. There are robots to guard
houses and offices, a robot that collects cash from banks, and a robot that can
stop criminals. The Tmsuk Company's T-34 is a small, four-wheeled robot that can be
controlled by mobile phone. It can catch thieves by firing a net over them.
Other robots have been used to direct traffic in Tokyo. And Fujitsu has produced a
guide robot for offices and malls. It recognizes faces and has a touch screen that
people can press for information.
Actroids
An astounding example of Japanese robot philosophy can be seen in their development
of actroids. A combination of the words actor and android, these robots are
specifically designed to look as believably human as possible.
Robot directing traffic in Japan
The first actroid, presented at the 2003 International Robot Convention by the
University of Osaka, was modeled on the looks of an average Japanese woman. It had
realistic silicone skin and could blink, speak, and breathe, using air to move its
features.
Later models are even more realistic. Professor Ishiguro of Osaka University
believes that human acceptance of robots depends on them having a familiar
appearance. In the future, he hopes that these human copies could be used to
represent people in business meetings and in other events. So far, the closest any
of the actroids has come was when HRP-4C starred as a model in the 2009 Tokyo
Fashion Week.
CHAPTER FIVE
Robots and Life
JAPAN'S RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS HELP ITS PEOPLE APPRECIATE ROBOTS.
Mindless metal boxes, coldly following their programming to the end, robots are not
to be trusted.
This, at least, is the impression you might get from many Hollywood movies.
Traditionally, robots in Hollywood have generally played the bad guy, an
unforgiving, unstoppable creature of incredible power, usually only defeated
because of its lack of flexibility and imagination. From movies like Blade Runner
and Terminator to The Matrix, we are often shown a world where, given the
opportunity, robots and computers will enslave humans and try to take over.
This view reflects a deep mistrust of machines in Western culture, a sense of
separation from the things we create. However, it is a view not necessarily shared
by other cultures. In Japan, many fictional accounts of robots are positive. Robots
are seen as a force for good, as creators of a more pleasant society.
These different points of view carry over into everyday life. An American may see
robots as a threat to his or her job, as an unnecessary complication, or simply as
a useless toy. In Japan the same robot would be seen as a way to make work easier
and more efficient, and as an interesting companion, as something fun. This
probably explains why there are hundreds of humanoid robots being developed in
Japan, while in the USA there are currently just two.
So why is there such a difference between these two points of view? Many people
have written about the subject, both in Japan and abroad. It seems mainly to be a
question of whether and how much something is seen to be alive. In this respect,
Japan's Shinto and Buddhist heritage plays an important role.
Japan's Religious Tradition
While Buddhism and Shinto are officially separate, in reality most people practice
them together. Buddhism, with its belief in the oneness or unity of all things, was
imported from China. Shinto is a set of religious beliefs and practices native to
Japan and was first recorded in the 8th century.
Shinto involves the worship of Kami, which roughly translates as "spirits." These
spirits can be a natural experience, such as wind or rain, or the spirit of a
natural place, such as a forest or river, or even rocks. This recognition of
spiritual life in all things and actions is known as animism. Although Kami can
also be the spirits of ancestors or people, they are not gods in the Western sense
of the word.
Shinto's main aim is to keep in harmony with the surrounding world by showing
respect for the kami that inhabit it. In the same way, the tools you use or works
you create possess their own spirit or identity, something worthy of respect. It is
not surprising that such a belief would give rise to a culture of exceptional
craftsmen.
A Sense of Connection
This sense of connection with the things an artist or designer creates is very
different from Western ideas, which sharply divide living, thinking beings from
lifeless machines. Japanese craftsmen's natural respect for and appreciation of the
machines they create becomes even stronger when applied to a responsive robot.
In Japan, robots are not seen only as tools that exist to make human life easier.
As one writer has put it, it is no longer a question of robots doing things for
people, but of doing things with them. This is a philosophy that looks into a
future where man and machine live in harmony.
CHAPTER SIX
What Do You Think?
HOW WILL OUR LIVES CHANGE IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE OF ROBOTS?
Every year, technological advances mean newer, faster computers, newer
communication devices, and more sophisticated, more capable robots.
In Japan, this is viewed with excitement. Perhaps, due to their philosophical
history, the Japanese are more capable of "understanding" and working with robots.
Do you think robots will become as popular in other parts of the world? Will they
be as accepted in other countries or will they be objects of fear?
Robots will probably soon play a more important role in our lives. They will be
able to move around better and perform simple jobs around the house, such as
painting, cleaning, and other household tasks. But will they be able to communicate
with humans, have decision-making abilities, and generally live alongside us on the
planet?
The robot brain is based on computers and their increasing ability to carry out
billions of instructions very quickly. But will robot brains ever have the same
kind of intelligence as humans do? Will the computer-based artificial brain allow
robots to become like intelligent human beings?
Some predictions say "Yes!" Already computers can "understand" humans to some
extent by recognizing our speech. Can you imagine having a robot as a friend? Will
children go to school with robot friends who help them with their homework?
How will people behave socially with robots in the future? Will they be treated as
machines? Or will they act so like us that we treat them as equals? Will we have to
change our laws to include the fair treatment of robots? We might even have groups
fighting for "robot rights." For example, should robots be paid for the work they
do? And if so, how?
What do you think will happen? And will it happen in your lifetime?
- THE END -
Hope you have enjoyed the reading!
Come back to http://english-e-reader.net/ to find more fascinating and exciting
stories!
