Robots taking human form

Citation

(2001), "Robots taking human form", Industrial Robot, Vol. 28 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2001.04928fab.013

Robots taking human form

Robots taking human form

Keywords: Service, Robots

The public image of robots is being transformed as an increasing number of high-tech manufacturers turn their attention to develop robots that more and more resemble their human creators and can interact with them in a greater range of ways. ATR Media Integration and Communications Research Laboratories has rolled out its Robovie, a humanoid robot for use in daily life. The joint public/private-sector research institute plans to supply the robots to companies and laboratories as the basis of further research.

"We don't mind firms changing and commercialising our robot as users pay patent license fees", ATR's president, Ryohei Nakatsu, told the press conference.

Robovie has a humanlike torso with a wheeled base instead of legs and sensors in the head, arms and chest. When someone strokes it on its head, the robot hugs him or her and says softly, "I love you".

The robot, which includes an image-processing system, costs around $125,000, quite inexpensive judging that a commercial user will not have to create it from scratch.

"It's just like 'Linux", says Professor Tsukasa Kawaoka of the Engineering Department of Doshisha University of Kyoto City, who has bought the first one. Just as allowing developers to access the Linux computer operating system source code for free has led to its steady development, research workers are expected to improve this robot by adding abilities such as surveillance functions or helping to care for the ill or elderly.

The Robodex Fair held recently in Yokohama attracted more than 50,000 visitors, the Fair manager pointing out "it was a rare success for such an event".