RSSToyota president: Robotics will be a core business
By Ed Oswald | Published December 6, 2007, 5:02 PM
President and CEO of Toyota Motor Co. Katsuaki Watanabe told reporters at an event in Tokyo that the company plans to focus on robots that will be useful to people in everyday life.
The first of these robots will roll out as a test in 2008, with the company putting out so-called "partner robots" for public use by 2010. The company sees its work as a extension of its automotive business, where robots already play a large part in manufacturing.
While a little behind its industry competitors in Japan, these plans are nevertheless a first step for Toyota. Honda has been developing its "Asimo" robot since 2000, and has been working on robots overall since 1986.
At the event, the star of the show was a robot capable of playing a violin. It played a version of "Pomp and Circumstance" for onlookers that -- while a bit uninspired -- was not too far off from what a beginning violin player would be able to manage.
Watanabe envisions a future where Toyota's robots will be able to provide service and aid to those in need. Possible solutions range from mobility robots that transport the disabled, to medical and construction assistants. Toyota even plans to put its robots to use in its own facilities over the next few years.
I recall the time where people feared loosing their jobs because of personal computers - back in the mid 70's.
What comes to mind is that the Japanese have very high standards with products. They did engineer the samurai sword which I doubt anyone in modern day could have developed.
They engineered the first automobile that was "RELIABLE" because America was developing cars that were simply crap (expensive crap). Some are still making sub standard cars today and likely with a lot of parts from China. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea if the Japanese could invent a car that runs 100% without gasoline. For such a small and cramped country, you would think this would be a top (TOP) priority. [There is a lot of b.s. in this area and the wide scale development is deliberately being held back from the public].
However, if the Japanese begin developing robots on a wide scale, then the world is surely looking to them for ingenuity and leadership in this area.
Unfortunately, the world is also looking at them unfavorably for their appetites of whales and dolphins. For a country known for its ingenuity, I think their disregard for whales and dolphins degrades that country greatly (GREATLY), and for the most are seen as savages.
Maybe they should be inventing a substitute for whale and dolphin meat.
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Wouldnt it be ironic to work in a robot manufacturing plant and then get replaced by robot you built?
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What I see is in the near future the great American industry with ads in newspaper and TV telling people to bye us robots because is the American way even that will be a mediocre product like the cars this day we have. It is a sad situation that American have became a nation of a quick buck there are not anymore looking into the future. Like the idea that wee can not be part of a conservation in-the gas emission because we will lost jobs PLEASE you rather want to safe jobs now for a future of a non existing planet in a few years.
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What a load of moronic unintelligent and unsubstantiated hyperbole. American cars have gotten pretty darned good lately. Thats a fact. Even in Europe the Car of the Year in 2007 was a Ford SMax and 2008 Motor Trends car of the year is a Cadillac CTS. Any other crap you want to spew?
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Im sure funding for this started with the gun mounted version.
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Hearing about breakthroughs designed for robotics in the everyday household is definitely not new for Japan. Considering how the Japanese population is aging, the likelihood of seeing an I, Robot scenario really isn't that uncommon.
Here are a couple of links about robotics in Japan:
http://www.rsj.or.jp/index_e.html
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=1771
http://web-japan.org/trends/ev/robot.html
http://www.wtec.org/loyola/ar93_94/sr.htm
http://robotics.naist.jp/jrobres/index-e.html
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/32281.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/...ence/nature/4714135.stm
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I need mine now!! Just to get from place to place.Wont have to buy, a GPS then!!
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