Robots. A word that has been familiar since childhood. Once upon a time it was only read from the pages of science fiction. Then it sounded on TV screens, and for some time now it has been actively used in everyday life. The dream, the pinnacle of creativity for people, has always been not industrial robots, in fact, well-developed machines, but rather complexly organized robots that could coexist next to a person: at work, at home, on the road, during entertainment; nanny robots, security robots, military robots. Japan rightfully takes the place of the leader among this particular direction. Below is a short essay on robotics in Japan.
History and modernity of robotics
In 1968, a significant event occurred: the Japanese company Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. received a license to produce the robot from the American company Unimation Inc. and assembled her first industrial robot. Since then, Japan has steadily moved toward becoming the robot capital of the world, with more than 130 companies involved in its production. Originally designed in the United States, Japan's first robots were imported in small quantities. Engineers studied them and used them in manufacturing for specific jobs such as welding and spraying. In the 1970s, numerous practical applications in this field were developed.
1980 - commercial start for high-tech robots. From this point on, the market began to grow, despite the collapse that occurred in the Japanese economy and the fact that production (mainly Japanese consumer electronics) was moved overseas, which contributed to the decrease in domestic demand in the 90s. Gradually, the Japanese economy recovered and has been growing again since 2003.
Currently, Japan accounts for about 45% of the world's industrial robots. If we talk about absolute numbers, by the end of 2004, 356,500 industrial robots were used in Japan, with the United States of America (122,000 industrial robots) in second place by a significant margin. Japan also ranks first in the world in the export of industrial robots. Every year this country produces more than 60 thousand robots, almost half of which are exported.
This gap certainly makes the invasion of Japanese robots even more noticeable.
Saving Lives
As you know, earthquakes and tsunamis are very common occurrences in Japan, so robots are actively being developed here that can help save people in emergency situations . Due to significant physical strength and the ability to work in difficult conditions, these devices will be able to clear rubble, search for survivors, etc. One interesting development is the pair of humanoids HRP-2 Kai and Jaxon (named after Michael Jackson), introduced in 2015. Also in 2015, Honda announced its robot, the E2-DR, the prototype of which was introduced to the public in 2017.
Given the tasks facing these robots, they must be able to overcome debris, narrow passages, walk on uneven surfaces and in rooms with low ceilings. HRP-2 Kai and Jaxon, for example, demonstrated how to walk on a thin plank or like a monkey: bending their back and leaning on their hands. In turn, E2-DR is capable of climbing stairs (including vertical ones) and working in the rain. The creators of both projects admit that while their brainchildren are not ready to join the ranks of rescuers, further improvement of the models is necessary.
Robots that help in industry and some other developments are beyond the scope of this material, since it is simply impossible to describe all projects: there are so many different high-tech devices in Japan.
Financing and the robotics market
According to statistics, in 2004, an amount of 3.1 billion yen (about $25.8 million) was allocated from the state budget for the development of robotics. At the same time, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) planned to provide targeted assistance to manufacturers of new generation robots and introduce their developments into mass production as early as 2006-2007. As an experiment, by 2010 it was planned to create a “society of the future” where robots would coexist with people. The goal of the experiment is to turn robotics into one of the key sectors of the national industry, along with such a pillar as the Japanese automobile industry. In one of the METI reports, “Towards a New Industrial Structure,” which was released in May 2004, it was mentioned that robots were selected by the Japanese government as a key sector for industrial development.
It should be noted that most of the funding for development and production was undertaken by the largest electrical corporations in Japan, which are directly interested in the development of robotics - Fanuc Ltd., Yaskawa Electric Corp., Fuji Machine Mfg. Co., Toshiba Machines Co., Okuma Corp., Mori Seiki Co., Makino Milling Machines Co., Hitachi Seiki Co.
Sales of robots and automated technology for the non-manufacturing sector were expected to reach 2.14 trillion yen ($20 billion) by 2010, more than double the sales of industrial robots. For comparison, in the last few years the market size was at the level of 500 billion yen ($4.2 billion). Sales in the robotics industry were expected to exceed $6 trillion in 2025. yen In parallel with meeting the growing need for cutting-edge industrial robots, Japanese manufacturers are working to improve the competitiveness of robots in the service sector, where there is a significant leap forward in terms of practical applications.
Today Japan, tomorrow the world
Japan is aging quickly, but the same is true for many parts of the rest of the world. The phrase “burden of old age” applies to most politicians as much as the word “bubble” applies to Silicon Valley investors. Worker shortages will hit many countries in the coming years, affecting many segments including healthcare and aged care.
In many cases, the reaction can be simple: get lost when an elderly person is faced with the prospect of being cared for by a robot, or interacting with a machine to one degree or another. But gradually this threshold should decrease, and with it the threshold for the robot to enter the uncanny valley.
Because if the uncanny valley depends on historical and cultural phenomena, then everything passes. History and culture are changing. We are starting to encounter robots more and more. Eventually we will all be there.
In addition, the Japanese are integrating robots into many areas where other cultures would not want them. But with success in Japan itself, people all over the world can follow the example of the Japanese. It turns out that loving and hating robots is just a matter of time. Having been around them longer, you realize that they are not so creepy.
Leader. Or not yet?
In the next 10 years, home robots are expected to become as commonplace as personal computers and cell phones in developed countries.
Japanese government support for the development of robotics will play a significant role in this. Currently in the Land of the Rising Sun there is a Humanoid Robotics Project (HRP) program worth over $37 million, which provides for the creation of mass-produced humanoid robots in the next few years. At the same time, new robots will take on not only routine operations, but will be able to help or even replace humans when performing hazardous work, as well as in construction, operating heavy equipment, or caring for elderly people and hospital patients. In Japan, intelligent machines are already being used as guards in warehouses, food tray dispensers in hospitals, and couriers in offices.
The Japan Robotics Association estimates that about 11,000 service robots were produced in 2002, 65% of which were intended for hospitals and nursing homes. The association predicts that by 2005 the Japanese market for patient care robots alone would reach $250 million, and by 2010 it would grow to $1 billion.
However, there are also weaknesses in Japanese robotics. The robotics industry also includes non-industrialized robots, an area in which Japan has lagged behind Europe and North America. According to the comparative characteristics in international competitive advantages in the field of robotics, Japan is competitive in three main areas: industrial robots, robots in the construction and civil engineering industries, and robots in the entertainment industry. By comparison, in the West, robots are also used in areas such as aeronautics, nuclear energy, entertainment, maritime, various research, healthcare, agriculture and livestock.
Caring for the sick
The percentage of the elderly population in Japan is growing steadily. These people need care that their busy relatives cannot provide, and it is for them that most medical developments are aimed.
Several of them can be called especially useful: an exoskeleton from the Honda company (the baby seal Paro is the work of their hands) and the robot nurse Riba. The development from Honda is an assistive device for walking. It serves to facilitate the rehabilitation period for injuries and serious fractures that threaten lameness, providing optimal load on the limb without pain.
The Japanese robot nurse is designed to replace a person in this difficult position. His main job is to help wheelchair users transfer from chairs to other pieces of furniture. It is equipped with many sensors and sensors that regulate behavior and prevent emergency situations (collision or fall).
AIBO and QRIO
The day before, Sony released its latest earnings report, according to which this Japanese giant of the digital industry is doing just fine! However, along with the good news about the profits, the company released sad information for all fans of Sony, AIBO and QRIO robots. Their development has already been stopped, and sales will stop at the end of this year. The move is certainly strange, especially considering the fact that in Asia people are crazy about these robots. However, the fact remains.
Science needs answers
What does science say about the Japanese love of robots - even creepy ones? Although research into the Uncanny Valley has gained momentum in recent years, the effect of culture and nationality on people's perceptions of robots has remained relatively untouched.
At the same time, there is no clear scientific understanding of which robots belong to the uncanny valley and which do not. Research on this topic has reached different conclusions. Some say that culture has a big influence and that the Japanese have a greater affinity for robots than most people.
Others point out that the Japanese actually have no more affection for robots than anyone else. What these studies agree on is that interactions with robots play a big role in how people perceive them, and that the Japanese are ahead of the curve in this regard.
See about copters: Top 10 cool robotic animals
ACM-R5
The robotic underwater snake was created by engineers from the Japanese research institute NEDO. Mechanical reptile ACM-R5 is 2 meters long, weighs 8 kg, battery life is 30 minutes. Control is carried out by radio. Following commands, ACM-R5 can change altitude, speed and direction of movement. The snake moves, like its biological counterpart, wriggling its entire body. The robot determines its location using hydrosensors and a digital camera; the data is processed by a 32-bit microprocessor. The snake can not only swim, but also move along the bottom. The robot was designed not to demonstrate high technology, but for practical needs. Snakes with larger batteries could survey the ocean floor to prevent earthquakes and lay or repair fiber-optic cables.
Second half of the 20th century
Japanese giant salamander
See also: Japanese economic miracle
The Japanese economic miracle of the 50s and 60s - an unprecedented rise in the country's economy after defeat in World War II, was also largely due to the development of science. Thanks to the discoveries and developments of Japanese scientists, as well as large-scale purchases of technologies and patents abroad, the country very quickly became one of the most significant figures in the world market. The growth of economic indicators during this period was more than 10% per year.
In order for the scientific and technological development of the state to recover from the devastating consequences of World War II, a strategy was applied that had already been used once during the Meiji era. The development of science and technology on our own required enormous costs and, most importantly, many years, which threatened a serious economic lag. Over the course of 30 years, Japan has acquired a total of 34 thousand licenses and patents from Western colleagues. They were creatively modified by the Japanese and, most importantly, quickly introduced into production. At first, the owners of Western companies did not perceive Japan as a potential competitor, so they sold patents and licenses for literally pennies. As a result, the creation of scientific and technical potential cost Japan only 78 billion dollars, and the scientists completed it within the shortest possible time. The effectiveness of such a strategy is estimated from 400% in general, to 1800% in individual industries. At the turn of 60-70. The West, which came to its senses, stopped providing scientific and technical support to the Japanese competitor, but by this time Japan had already created its own R&D base.
Choromet
Anime robot Promet. It could dance, stand on one leg, communicate with a person, recognize faces, etc. The high cost of rent - $70,000 per year - could kill the idea, so now the engineers decided to create a smaller copy called Choromet. The robot can lie down and get up, as well as carry out small errands. The machine runs the Linux operating system and a 240 MHz SH-4 processor. The height of Choromet is only 35 cm, the predecessor was much larger - 154 cm. The miracle of technology will cost $4,450, and you can buy it in the fall. The creators hope that the invention will be in great demand for research and educational institutions.
Unpretentious pets
Japan is famous not only for its androids - companion robots made in the form of familiar pets are no less popular. They are designed for children and elderly single people who do not have the opportunity to get an animal to care for.
In addition to dogs and cats (made very realistically), imitating the behavior of a real four-legged friend, there are much more interesting mechanical pets. For example, the Paro baby seal, developed for the social rehabilitation of older people. This Japanese robot looks like a child's toy and can perform a number of actions, and it is also equipped with sensors that respond to touch. Paro can be compared to a Tamagotchi - it also needs care and constant attention. The experience of its use has shown positive dynamics in the condition of older people.
Land Walker
Japanese manufacturer of robot-like mechanisms Sakakibara-Kikai has released the first true two-pedal exoskeleton - Land Walker. He is 3.4 meters tall, weighs about 1000 kg and can move a distance of 1.5 kilometers.
To begin with, the Land Walker will be exhibited at various demonstrations and competitions. Land Walkers have a cannon attached to each side, but now they only shoot rubber balls. With some modifications, the Land Walker can become quite a serious weapon. Just imagine a horde of Land Walkers coming down the hill!
Japanese technologies helping humanity
No. 00072 Journal of experiments with adrenaline by Uenaki Kenzo
A journal describing experiments with adrenaline, kept by Uenaka Kenzo, who helped Takamine Jokichi when he isolated this hormone for the first time in the world. In the controversy that erupted after Takamine's death, in American medicine it was persistently called "epinephrine", this name spread among Japanese doctors, but in the end Takamine's primacy was proven, and the name "adrenaline" began to be widely used. (photo courtesy of the National Museum of Nature and Science)
No. 00209 Journal of experiments with statins and a monthly document describing its research
Endo Akira discovered mevastatin ML-236B, the first of the statins, substances that inhibit the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase and can significantly lower cholesterol levels, helping to treat diseases in adult patients. Capsules with a substance first used for treatment in 1971, a monthly journal and notes from an assistant reflecting the progress of Endo's experiments have been preserved (photo courtesy of the National Museum of Nature and Science)
No. 00135 Anti-mosquito coil
Invented in Japan in 1890, the mosquito coil helped fight malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases and is still widely used around the world. Pyrethrum, a mosquito repellent, was distributed in Japan by Ueyama Eiichiro, and at one time its production volumes were the largest in the world. (Photo courtesy of Dainihon jochugiku)
No. 00109 The first stereo cassette audio player Walkman TPS-L2
The world's first stereo player with headphones. It went on sale in 1979 and radically changed the way people listen to music around the world. Walkman cassette players were produced until 2009, with a total of 220 million units produced. With the development of digital technologies, media and form have changed, but all over the world they are creating and happily using devices that inherited its concept. (photo courtesy of SONY)
Plen
This robot's name is Plen. He's from Japan. (Where else would a robot be?) It can be controlled using a mobile phone using the Bluetooth function.
The Plen has 18 movable joints and is powered by a 32-bit ARM7 processor. The robot is capable of walking/running/rollerblading for 25 minutes on a single charge. Only a few copies were released.
Communication with robots is addictive
Constant interaction with robots may be one piece of the puzzle as to why the Japanese are generally more accepting of robots, even creepy ones. People living in Tokyo encounter robots all the time—not to mention other types of automated systems. It's safe to say that Japan encounters robots more often than people in other countries.
While it is unknown whether robots are viewed more positively there, the fact remains that Japan is deploying robots for a variety of tasks. This initiative, in fact, will help revive the Japanese economy - this is what the government believes.
Robots are used in healthcare and aged care. It is noteworthy that older people, not wanting to distract staff, sometimes enjoy talking with robots.
One of these models is not human. Can you guess which one?
Virtual models are taking over the fashion industry, taking real top models by surprise. Avatar girls, whose appearance is created with the help of IT technologies, do not experience difficulties in choosing clothes, do not go on debilitating diets, do not look for expensive contracts, but lead a very real life. True, only online
Imma, that’s the name of the heroine of our news today, is still new to this world, but is already attracting increased attention. Thanks to bright and fashionable selfies in urban style, almost 60,000 people have already subscribed to the digital model’s Instagram channel.
Moreover, she has already managed to take part in the creation of an advertising photo shoot for the cosmetics manufacturing company Kate, as reported by the Japanese website ID.
Japan during the second half of the 20th century, and now in the 21st century. rightly bears the title of an ultra-modern power. Today, Japan's technologies not only make the country one of the leading economies, but have also become an integral part of its culture. They help protect themselves from the difficult natural conditions of small islands and contribute to global scientific progress.
Can Fukushima be turned into a new source of renewable energy?
Before the disaster in 2011, Fukushima supplied a third of Japan's capital region's electricity, embedded in the country's electricity transmission network. However, Fukushima is the third largest prefecture in Japan and has a huge amount of renewable resources, so the prefecture has great potential for introducing renewable energy sources. According to the portal newatlas.com, the Japanese government is ready to breathe new life into the energy industry in Fukushima, the destruction of which led to the nuclear crisis. Plans are underway to transform the Fukushima area into a renewable energy hub that will generate energy for supply and use in the nation's capital.
Video
On the promotional video of the American analogue you can see how it works.
How the Japanese unobtrusively advertise their products
Tourists are surprised by the free distribution of small packages of sanitary napkins. And everywhere - in shops, subways, on the streets. This is not charity, but a form of advertising. No, not napkins, but what is shown on the package.
People tend to save what they use often. The paper flyer will simply be thrown away, and the package will be put in a bag or somewhere in the apartment. And every time they take out a napkin, they will involuntarily glance at the picture on the packaging. What you see will be remembered. This is a kind of “25 frame”.
Middle Ages
The medieval architecture of Japan is characterized by the following features:
- Zen style in temple buildings (multi-hall places of worship and gilded roofs). The example is the Kinkaku-ji Temple, or the Golden Pavilion (XIV century).
- Development of castle architecture in the Yamajiro style. Wooden and stone buildings were located on flat territory. The ensemble included a central structure (tenshu tower) and numerous turrets, which were connected by passages. The structure was surrounded by a fence and ditches. An example is Imeji Castle (XIV–XVII centuries). It included more than 80 structures.
- Construction of stone palaces in the Hiradjiro style. 1–2-storey buildings were located on a hill in the middle of a garden and park ensemble. Natural wood was used in the interior decoration of such buildings. An example is the Katsura Palace in Kyoto (XVII century).
- The emergence of sukiya style tea houses. The structure resembles a light hut. Most often this is a one-story building with a low, narrow passage and a large number of high windows. Inside there is a room for holding a tea ceremony.
Imeji Castle
