International Exchange through Robots, and the Focus on Japanese-Type Robots

International Exchange through Robots, and the Focus on Japanese-Type Robots

Robots represent a vital new industry for deepening exchanges between Japan and other countries. With the futuristic idea of robots and the images conjured up of Japan as a technological powerhouse, I believe that countries around the world are expecting that robots will in future play a leading role in Japan's manufacturing. In this installment, I will talk about what the Robot Laboratory and the RooBO participant companies, through their contact with people in other countries, feel are the main concerns and points of interest in robots among these foreign groups.



Popular Hobby Robots and Industrial Robots

It is in fact progress in software rather than hardware that is causing dramatic improvements in the way robots move. This goes for both industrial and hobby robots.It has been such improvements in software capabilities that have allowed the combination of already superior product design and elemental technology to contribute to a marked improvement in robot operability.An example is the hobby robot PLEN (www.plen.jp/). This effort was the result of SYSTEC AKAZAWA putting to work the technologies of the 12 member companies of RooBo (www.roobo.com/). Although what first caught everyone's attention was the robot's design, it was PLEN's performance that soon won over many users. PLEN is a technology that makes it possible for a robot to balance without using posture control technologies like gyro sensors. A major feature here is the ability to control posture thanks to an overall balanced design and specially developed software.

People who have seen PLEN PR videos or images of PLEN riding a skateboard or skating smoothly along ask, "Is this a special effects video made for PR purposes?" or "Where is the gyro in the robot?"
Most of them can't believe it when they hear the response: "No. This is what makes PLEN special."
What makes such movement possible is the development of motion software that can be set in highly precise, and almost unlimited, ways to control 18 servo-motors. Such detailed setting of commands allows the robot to move without wobbling. This development was achieved through the cooperation of members from the 12 participating companies.PLEN made a huge splash when it was demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show (http://www.cesweb.org) in January 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada (US). Video taken of the demonstration was put on YouTube (www.youtube.com), where it was seen by a huge number of Internet users.

Industrial robots are undergoing further major changes. As robots evolve faster and more sophisticated, they are being used not only in factories but are also making inroads into areas like warehouses and the back area of stores.
YASKAWA Electric Corporation(http://www.yaskawa.co.jp) is a major builder of industrial robots. Centered on the company's pride and joy, a two-armed robot, YASKAWA is blazing new trails in the field of service robots by making full use of the robot's arms and hands. Whether it is assembly or sorting work, YASKAWA's robots make work go smoothly by using tools that are ideal for the particular job. YASKAWA's idea is that since many superb tools are already available, you just need to make robots that can use these tools. For example, use a power screwdriver to tighten screws, or use a vacuum for cleaning.

YASKAWA is currently at the stage where it is thinking seriously about a number of things: should it make a robot that specializes in cleaning? Should it make expensive, dedicated machines? Or, should it create a system that makes the best use of the tools already in general use?
What happens when software capabilities are improved? For example, the number of joints on the robot arm is now up to seven even though there is no longer anything like the backbone that used to support the arm. This is not made possible by a mechanical advancement but rather by a realization of streamlining and improved functions through software advances. One of Japan's strengths is the skill of its manufacturing craftsmen, and even this aspect is now being introduced to robots. Movements are registered in a database, and the robot refers to this database to carry out a variety of advanced work.



More Development Participants Means More Applications

In many countries besides Japan, competition is heating up among universities, research institutes, and capital-rich corporations to develop advanced technologies. Despite this, Japan still leads the world in developing and bringing out robots. This can only be attributed to the many venture companies and small- and medium-sized enterprises whose wide-ranging and dynamic efforts allow them to come up with the ideas and technologies that bring the world so many robots.
The more developments companies make, the more attention they get, and the more applications there become for robots. A good example is science education that uses robots. It has been proved that robots make ideal teaching tools for science education because when students assemble hobby robots, they need knowledge in a number of areas, including mechanical assembling technique and the software that controls motion.Although robots were not originally meant to be educational tools, as more and more people became involved with them, the application of robots developed.

The Robot Laboratory is surrounded by an army of companies that have what it takes to bring robots to market; not only robot development companies, but also companies creating software for controlling motion and companies that excel in the development of databases. This is also one of the strengths of Japan, and Osaka in particular.
Robots still do not possess the concrete functional and service capabilities to be products in of themselves. However, with companies of all sizes?large corporations, small- and medium-sized enterprises, and venture companies specializing in robots?in all fields?manufacturing, service, and retail?sensing the potential of the robot business and investing, developing, and marketing products and services accordingly, there's no doubt that the number of applications is on the rise.
This shows that the one of the fruits of our strategy for building new industries "gathering companies from various markets" is being reflected in business activities today.
The fact that there are so many inquiries and visits from other countries to the Robot Laboratory and to companies developing robots in Japan can be attributed to the variety of applications being developed and to the many robot businesses springing up as a result of the field's expanding base.


I urge you to keep an eye out for the variety of robots set to come out of Japan, and out of Osaka in particular.