Loving the Machine: robots, androids, japan, asimo, humanoids

Giant robot comes to life at night

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:19:00 +0000

Pink Tentacle has some amazing shots of the recently built giant Gundam robot in Shiokaze Park in Tokyo's Odaiba. The 35-ton, 60-foot model robot marks the 30th anniversary of the popular Gundam franchise and can emit all sorts of nifty lights.

Autonomous mini car to go on sale

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Tokyo-based robot venture firm ZMP, known for its slick-looking Nuvo robot, is putting a mini robot car on sale that can autonomously avoid obstacles in its path.

The car is about a tenth the size of a real car and will be sold for R&D applications starting this month for around $5,000 (about twice as much with the stylish shell). It has a CCD camera and an infrared laser system to detect obstacles. It can also be controlled with a remote, and runs for about an hour when fully charged.

Why Japan lost the supercomputer race

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 16:49:00 +0000

The Earth Simulator is a massive supercomputer housed in a complex south of Yokohama. I once visited it and felt like I was face to face with the HAL 9000. Back then, the Earth Simulator was the fastest supercomputer in the world. It could perform 35 trillion calculations per second, and its speed so surprised U.S. computer scientists that its launch was dubbed the "Computenik" incident (after Sputnik). If 35 trillion isn't mind-boggling enough for you, its speed has since been dramatically upgraded to help model climate.

Today, though, the Earth Simulator ranks a lowly 73rd on the latest Top500 list of the world's fastest supercomputers (Roadrunner, a U.S. military computer that models nuclear weapons, is tops, performing more than a quadrillion calculations a second).

Meanwhile, only 17 machines on the Top500 are Japanese, compared with 290 American ones. Amid deteriorating corporate earnings, NEC and Hitachi recently announced they are quitting a government-led project to build a supercomputer in Kobe.

Why did Japan lose out in the supercomputer race? A recent Japan Times article speculates on three reasons: lower costs for the technology required, allowing more competitors, economic stagnation in Japan, and a lack of military funding. The third reason seems the most persuasive. U.S. machines are often used to model nuclear weapons; seven of the ten fastest supercomputers are at U.S. Department of Energy facilities.

Since Japan has no nuclear weapons arsenal, it has to get more private-sector use out of its supercomputers to make new investments worthwhile. Drug discovery and automotive design are two applicable areas. And, of course, there's artificial intelligence. With IBM planning to field its Watson supercomputer against quiz master Alex Trebek on Jeopardy! later this year (video below), Japan will be playing catch-up again. After all, who's going to build brains for all those Japanese robots?

Robotic dummies for rent

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:37:00 +0000

I've written before about the elegant mannequin robots designed by Tatsuya Matsui and his studio Flower Robotics. Matsui has just announced that he is offering these curious machines for rent, to the tune of $3,000 apiece for four days. Not cheap, but chump change to some haute couture dealers.

Matsui's Palette mannequin, above, has limited artificial intelligence. Its 16 joints allows it to strike a pose in response to people around it. I was struck by its quiet grace.

Matsui wants to turn Palette into a product by renting them to stores and event organizers. "We want to prove that (humanoid robots) can be commercially viable with this mannequin robot," the Nikkei reported the architect and product designer as saying.

For more on Matsui, read my Japan Times article here.

Via Nikkei Net

Giant sci-fi robot under construction

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:53:00 +0000

"Check before and after fight." It's great when giant combat robots come with practical warnings like that. But why aren't they in Japanese?

The project to build a giant Gundam robot is afoot in Tokyo. The 11-meter, 35-ton RX-78-2 robot being erected in Shiokaze Park in the Odaiba area marks the 30th anniversary of the $500 million "Mobile Suit Gundam" science fiction franchise. It's going to send out mist and beams of light once complete July 11. And then go on a rampage across Japan.

Here are some pics from the Mainichi.

Is Japanese technology past its prime?

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:56:00 +0000

Japanese electronics makers are hemorrhaging red ink. Overseas competition (Samsung and LG) is intensifying, the domestic labor pool is shrinking and consumption is limp. Are Japan's glory days as a technological powerhouse over?

That's the question posed by this insightful article by David McNeill in The Independent quoting yours truly. Yes, it's amazing to see how much Sony, whose first product was a rice cooker that didn't work, is struggling amid these tough times.

The article highlights the fact that Japan is essentially a hardware-oriented culture. It's no surprise that the Internet was not created in Japan, and that the most recent popular electronics that make use of it are not Japanese. Are Japanese manufacturers destined to fade away due to the old cliche that Japanese lack "groundbreaking creativity"?

I don't think so. Japan is a very creative, imaginative society, as anyone who's studied it to any extent can attest. There are many factors that limit the spread of successful, innovative Japanese products, some social or structural and others economic. Besides, the products that are gaining market share may not have a Japanese brand on the outside, but often have Japanese technology on the inside, as McNeill notes:

Toshiba, for example, manufacturers the mini hard drive that powers the iPod, Japanese companies monopolize the production of semiconductor-grade silicon, and make much of the optical fiber and laser diodes that form the backbone of the internet; Nikon and Canon supply many of the optical machines that print lines on computer chips, and so on.

I think the death of Japanese manufacturing has been greatly exaggerated.

Robots sing backup for pop star

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:50:00 +0000

This recent video from Ed at Pink Tentacle and Fuji TV shows how Japanese easily warm to robots as entertainers. The song and dance trio is called Robo-Shūchishin and consists of Nobuko Naoki, aka Chi, and two Robonova-1 kit robots. Er, I can't wait for their CD to come out!

Recession? Not in robot land!

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:11:00 +0000

The recession hasn't killed Japanese robots - far from it! Two new robot shops have just opened in Tokyo, bringing the total to five. Both sell robot kits aimed at hobbyists who compete in tournaments as well as toys, videos and books. I checked them out the other day.

Vstone Robot Center is in the Akihabara electronics district, steps away from Akihabara Station. It's backed by Osaka-based machine parts firm Vstone and has two colorful humanoid robots on display. Manager Hideki Idaka (right) says the company opened the store regardless of the recession because parents and kids want robot kits. Its most popular product? Robovie-X, a bipedal kit robot that goes for about $700.

Located north of Akihabara Station along the JR tracks, Technologia just opened a few days ago; they still have congratulatory bouquets everywhere. It sells kit robots made by Kondo, Kyosho and other manufacturers as well as robot carrying cases and a ton of other goods. I was lucky enough to run into veteran robot tournament fighter Dr. GIY (left), who proudly showed me one of his lethal-looking creations while checking out the new shop.

Geek trivia:
Reports in Western media including the Associated Press have incorrectly stated that Vstone Robot Center is the only robot retailer in Tokyo.

Wrong! The two new shops bring the total to five, the other three being RT Corp., Tsukumo Robot Okoku (reopening this month following renovations) and Kondo Robo Spot.

Random sighting

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Tue, 12 May 2009 11:42:00 +0000

Phone booth outside Nakano Station, Tokyo.

U.S., Japan go separate ways in robots

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:07:00 +0000

Here's an excerpt from an article I wrote for The Japan Times based on my interview with PW Singer, author of a provocative new book about U.S. military robots, Wired For War.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like the MQ-1 Predator, developed by California-based General Atomics, circle the skies of Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan gathering intelligence and taking out targets with Hellfire missiles. Tireless and devoid of emotion, UAVs have proven remarkably effective.... So comprehensive is the automation of the military that, under the $230 billion Future Combat Systems program, brigades will have more unmanned vehicles than manned vehicles by 2015.

The United States is creating a grand robotic army.

"Military robots are an even more revolutionary technology than the atomic bomb," says Singer. "The robotics revolution in war has a critical difference — it affects the 'who' of war, not only the warriors' experience, but the very identity of the warriors themselves."

Life-size Gundam coming to Tokyo

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 02:00:00 +0000

Besides Godzilla, there's one more big "g" known throughout Japan and I'm not talking about gomi. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Gundam anime franchise, and a life-size, 60-foot model of the RX-78-2 star robot will touch down in a Tokyo park to mark the occasion.

The giant bot will tower over groveling fans of the space opera in Shiokaze Park in Odaiba, an artificial island on Tokyo Bay, in July and August. Light and mist will emanate from the fiberglass statue, which will have a moving head. Far more impressive than the replica of the Statue of Liberty that stands nearby. Perhaps a duel is in order.

via New York-Tokyo

Robot fish to sniff out pollution

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:30:00 +0000

The first school of autonomous robotic fish designed to detect pollution around the world will soon be released into the ocean, according to BMT Group. The robot carp developed in the UK are equipped with "tiny chemical sensors to find the source of potentially hazardous pollutants in the water, such as leaks from vessels in the port or underwater pipelines."

The fish will be released off northern Spain. They'll report on pollution via wifi when returning to their charge station - operating time is about 8 hours.

"While using shoals of robotic fish for pollution detection in harbours might appear like something straight out of science fiction, there are very practical reasons for choosing this form," said Rory Doyle, senior research scientist at BMT Group.

"In using robotic fish we are building on a design created by hundreds of millions of years' worth of evolution which is incredibly energy efficient. This efficiency is something we need to ensure that our pollution detection sensors can navigate in the underwater environment for hours on end."

Japan unveils gov't funded fashion bot

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:20:00 +0000

The Japanese government has spent a whopping $2 million developing a female "fashion" robot that was shown of by the state-run AIST research lab near Tokyo.

The HRP-4C was shown off to reporters ahead of a fashion show in the Japanese capital starting March 23.

4C looks like a combination of AIST's HRP series and the popular Actroid android made by entertainment company Kokoro. Powered by 30 motors, 4C is designed to walk and look like a typical Japanese woman - ignore the silver body armor - and can perform a variety of facial expressions such as surprise.

Reports say AIST will sell 4C body frames for $200,000 apiece.

TV show gets robot mascot

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Tokyo model maker Kyosho has unveiled a new robot based on its popular Manoi PFO1 kit. Posuto-kun (Little Postman) is a machine mascot for a Japanese TV show whose name is so long it leaves one breathless.

The MBS TV show is called Chikyu Kando Haitatsunin Hashire! Posutoman Run! Postman Run! and it's about celebrities who are charged with delivering mail overseas.

Posuto-kun comes with over 30 original motions and may hit stores between February and March, with a price tag of $3,500.

Via Robot Watch

Steampunk China farm bot making headlines

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 17:57:00 +0000

PLEN maker Akazawa goes bust

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Systec Akazawa Co., a key player in the Osaka robot scene and maker of the PLEN desktop hobby robot, has gone bust.

The aircraft parts manufacturer is set to declare bankruptcy with liabilities of about 700 million yen ($7.4 million), according to Nikkei Net, which cited a sharp decline in orders.

The company has apparently ceased operations, and its website is offline. The family-run firm was headed by President Ryohei Akazawa, known for his involvement with RoboCup champions Team Osaka. The team won the RoboCup championship in its division five times.

In 2006, the company introduced PLEN, a $2,600 Bluetooth-controlled hobby bot that could rollerskate and skateboard. There was no word about how the bankruptcy will affect users on the PLEN website.

PLEN won't be the first robot to be hit by hard economic times (q.v. Sony's Qrio), but Akazawa's collapse will hit the Osaka scene hard. I expect other robot ventures to succumb to the recession as well.

Via Nikkei Net

Ad for Saturn, German electronics chain

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 02:06:00 +0000

Creepy robot to monitor seniors

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:31:00 +0000

The University of Tokyo, one of Japan's leading robot developers, recently unveiled a prototype elder-care bot called Mamoru that is designed to keep tabs on those prone to having senior moments.

The prestigious school's Information and Robot Technology Research Initiative (IRT) unveiled a slightly creepy granny robot called Mamoru ("to protect") that reminds forgetful users where they left their glasses or the remote control, or when to take their medicine.

The system makes use of a wide-angle camera and image-recognition software to monitor the locations of objects that have been registered by the user.

Toyota Motor, Fujitsu and other major firms helped out in the project, which aims at commercialization within 10 years.

From Robot Watch

If only Japanese kitchens were this big

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 05:11:00 +0000

A new experimental home robot unveiled by the University of Tokyo and partner Toyota Motor is designed to clean floors, clear serving dishes, pick up clothing and do a variety of other drudgery that will surely inspire a robot revolution one day. But can it be anything more than an expensive demo?

The Home Assistant Robot (HAR) moves around on a wheeled base, has six-jointed hands and laser range finders and stereo cameras to understand its environment; a failure detection function helps it learn from its mistakes. The robot can manipulate furniture and is pretty mean with a sponge mop. Unfortunately, ordinary Japanese kitchens are only a quarter the size of the one in the demo photo, so HAR would have to slim down from its 130 kg (286 lbs) to tackle the real world.

Honda took the wraps off Asimo eight years ago now, and last year its lead engineer told me it would be another decade before it goes to market. HAR would not be commercialized for another seven years, according to the research consortium, and my guess is it would be extremely expensive if that ever happens - so maybe the people who could afford one will have really big kitchens.

More HAR pics here.

Spotted: Ancient robot blueprint

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:13:00 +0000

This rare manuscript was published in 1796. It contains instructions on how to make karakuri ningyo, the clockwork dolls regarded as Japan's first robots.

I was surprised to stumble upon it at a very interesting place in Nagano called the Matsumoto Timepiece Museum. Opened in 2002, the museum has over 300 classic timepieces including Chinese, British, German and French clocks, marine chronometers, pocket watches, and clocks from Japan's Edo period (1600-1867), known as wadokei. The latter include some rather exotic shaku-dokei (pillar clocks) and candle clocks.

The manuscript is called Karakuri Zui (sometimes read as Kikou Zui) or "Illustrated Machinery." It was written by Hanzo Hosokawa, a mechanical engineer, astronomer and inventor from the domain of Tosa on Shikoku Island. The three-volume treatise details how to make four kinds of wadokei clocks and nine types of karakuri dolls including the famous tea-serving doll. Known as Japan's oldest mechanical engineering manuscript, the book has meticulously written notes on how to dress the dolls in kimono.

In Japan, proper engineering has always looked good - even in 1796.

HAL power suit to be sold in Europe

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:46:00 +0000

Robot venture firm Cyberdyne Inc. plans to market its strength-boosting HAL power suit in Denmark and elsewhere in Europe, officials announced Tuesday at its new R&D center in Tsukuba northwest of Tokyo.

The firm plans to begin mass-production of a lower-body version of the Hybrid Assistive Limb this month, and will market the boosters as a healthcare apparatus to hospitals and other care facilities. It aims to open a subsidiary in Denmark in fiscal 2009 and focus on leasing the exoskeleton in northern Europe, which has large populations of elderly like Japan.

A demonstration at the press event marks one of the few times that HAL has been worn by people other than Cyberdyne's usual user, who appears in all the publicity shots. I'd heard that HAL takes an extremely long time to calibrate so that it can pick up muscle nerve signals that can be detected in the skin. The calibration seems a big obstacle to commercialization.

I'd asked Cyberdyne about whether reporters would be allowed to try HAL ahead of mass-production, but was told no. Instead they suggested visiting a new promotional facility, the Cyberdyne Studio, slated to open at the end of this month in a shopping center in Tsukuba. I'd like to see the product being used in real-world situations.

Via Nikkei Net

Yokohama hosts big bot fest

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:36:00 +0000

Yokohama will host a three-day robot extravaganza in October 2008 that will showcase many of Japan's most high-profile machines.

The sensibly titled Robo Japan 2008 will feature Honda's Asimo, Mitsubishi's Wakamaru, Robo-Garage's Chroino and others at Pacifico Yokohama October 11-13. Participants will include 28 companies, seven schools and seven groups. The theme will be "robots in everyday life."

It'll be a fun event for kids, but most of the robots on display have been around since at least the 2005 Aichi Expo.

Robot balances on unicycle

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:53:00 +0000

The latest star in the Japan robot circus: Kyoto precision parts maker Murata Manufacturing has unveiled a unicycle-riding robot called Seiko-chan.

The 50 cm-tall robot can go forward and back on one wheel and come to a full stop without toppling over.

It uses the same gyro sensor and flywheel technology that went into Murata Boy, the firm's popular bicyclist robot. Kids who saw the biker asked the firm to create a unicyclist, and a female employee designed its look.

The diminutive performer can be controlled via Bluetooth, and is also equipped with an obstacle sensor and a video camera.

Four Seiko-chan robots have been created and they will be shown in Japan and overseas. They will also be loaned to schools for use as a teaching aid. There are no plans to market it as of yet.

The name recalls megastar Seiko Matsuda, a 1980s pop idol after whom industrial robots were sometimes named.

Gallery: Unusual Asimo pics

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:43:00 +0000

New robot anime stamps on sale

noreply@blogger.com (Tim) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:40:00 +0000

Japan Post today released its latest edition of stamps featuring robots from popular anime series.

The stamps show characters and robots from manga and anime series Patlabor, which deals with a Tokyo police division that uses huge mecha robots for law enforcement. The mecha feature the designs of Yutaka Izubuchi, who also did the exterior design for the HRP robot series being developed by the government.

JP is issuing 15 million Patlabor stamps in denominations of 80 yen that come in 10-stamp sheets.

The issue is part of JP's Anime Heroes and Heroines series that began five years ago with stamps honoring perennial robot icon Astro Boy.

Others include Gundam, Doraemon and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Karakuri clockwork dolls, the ancestors of modern Japanese robots, have also been celebrated with Japanese stamps.

Check out the Japan Post anime series page here (in Japanese).