Japanese startups rush to develop service robots for medical use
Service robots are finally emerging from the shadows around the world as the pandemic drives demand for avoiding the coronavirus and its carriers.
Robotics
Robotics
Sony patents a cute robot for keeping you company while gaming
Sony has form for cute little robot companions, and it looks as though the tech company could be working on another invention – specifically a gaming buddy robot that sits with you on the couch.
Tokyo train station eatery gives soba-cooking robot a try
A robot that cooks soba noodles is serving hungry commuters at a train station in western Tokyo in yet another example of Japan’s shift to automation as labor remains in short supply.
Robots roam Tokyo's newest train station to patrol and sweep
The newest train station on central Tokyo's iconic Yamanote line will employ robots and artificial intelligence to reduce labor and assist riders.
Meet Maya, who piloted one of Tokyo cafe’s robot waitresses
Maya Sakai, who has spinal muscular atrophy and feared becoming isolated at home, expects that use of robot avatars will create jobs for severely disabled people like herself after operating a “robot waitress” in January.
Nike launches robot-assisted warehouse in Japan
Daiwa House Industry is teaming up with Nike to launch smart distribution centers where robots whisk racks of items to workers for packing.
From anime to reality: Mobile 25-ton Gundam robot to be built in Yokohama
What was once thought limited to the realm of animation is set to become reality in Yokohama this fall when an 18-meter mobile Gundam robot steps into action.
Fanuc offers small manufacturers robots without the fuss
Factory automation is no longer the sole preserve of big manufacturers thanks to Fanuc's new robotic arms that can be controlled with tablet apps.
Kubota to release self-driving rice planting machine in October
Kubota Corp. said Wednesday it will release a rice-planting machine with automated driving functions in October.
Avatar robot allows Hiroshima students to attend classes from hospital beds
The education board in Hiroshima Prefecture has pioneered the use of a pint-sized “surrogate robot” to realize what was previously considered impossible: allowing hospitalized students to take classes remotely without being monitored by teachers. The success of the board’s tech-savvy initiative, considered an educational first in Japan, has prompted the education ministry to relax rigid requirements that have long prevented many hospitalized high school students from qualifying for class attendance.