Fans of the Land of the Rising Sun firmly know that if there is a state in the world in which technology is not inferior to people in any parameter, then this is Japan. The production of robots here began in 1986 and does not stop until now, successfully developing and capturing the market.
Androids
Japanese androids are a true work of art. The designers were so carried away by their creation that in recent years it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish a robot from a living person. These mechanical people dance, laugh, talk, maintain meaningful dialogs and even master facial expressions!
However, the Land of the Rising Sun in this field has serious competitors - Koreans. Their androids move more slowly, but they are much more ergonomic and skillful. This led to the fact that several years ago the Japanese created an extremely realistic robot girl. She could conduct dialogue and gesticulate, but at that moment only the upper part of her body came into motion.
To date, things have changed. Such androids are gradually replacing live service personnel, as society highly approves of such modernization. Examples include a mechanical news announcer from a Tokyo television channel or a sales assistant in a cosmetics store.
Such a robot girl is almost indistinguishable from a living person, moreover, she not only attracts new consumers and customers, but really works. Since last year, any large company that wants to replace a demanding employee with an android can purchase it online by choosing the best model among those offered on the Web.
Unpretentious pets
Japan is known not only for its androids - companion robots made in the form of familiar pets are equally popular. They are designed for children and elderly single people who do not have the opportunity to get an animal to take care of him.
In addition to dogs and cats (performed very realistically), imitating the behavior of a real four-friend, there are much more interesting mechanical pets. For example, the Paro seal, designed for the social rehabilitation of older people. This Japanese robot looks like a children's toy and can perform a number of actions, and it is also equipped with sensors that respond to touch. Paro can be compared with tamagotchi - it also needs care and constant attention. The experience of its use has shown a positive dynamics in the condition of the elderly.
Domestic help
Japan is known for its traditions, in which respect for elders is far from last. Thanks to this, a lot of gadgets were invented, including a variety of robots. For example, a housekeeper - visually it does not resemble a person, but it accurately simulates his movements and is able to perform simple functions like “bring-clean” without dropping the item you are looking for.
But Japanese robotic vacuum cleaners are especially honored - they literally take over the world. It got to the point that Europeans give the technique human names, equating it to a pet. However, this is explainable by the technology of the equipment - if a person stops paying attention to him, the vacuum cleaner, in turn, will boycott the garbage.
This Japanese robot is popular only in Europe. The country of the rising sun has long been entertained by the android Wakamaru. He is able not only to housekeeping, but also to distinguish his owners by their faces, to guard the house, warning about hacking attempts, and even to remind about planned affairs, since the robot’s vocabulary includes about 15 thousand words.
Patient Care
The percentage of elderly people in Japan is growing steadily. These people need care that their relatives who are absorbed in work cannot provide for, and it is precisely at them that most medical developments are directed.
Particularly useful are several of them: an exoskeleton from Honda (the Paro seal is the work of their hands) and a Rib-nurse robot. Honda's development is an auxiliary device for walking. It serves to facilitate the rehabilitation period for injuries and serious fractures, threatening lameness, providing an optimal load on the limb without pain.
The Japanese robot nurse is designed to replace a person in this difficult position. His main job is to help wheelchair users to change seats from chair to other pieces of furniture. It is equipped with a variety of sensors and sensors that regulate behavior and prevent emergency situations (collision or fall).
Japan International Robot Show
Every year, Tokyo hosts a demonstration of achievements in the field of robotics. Such exhibitions attract multimillion audience, some of them are regular visitors. Usually these are not only representatives of various companies, but also ordinary people captivated by the ingenuity and imagination of the Japanese.
This year, an exhibition of robots for medical care was held, where many interesting devices were presented.
Technological boom
The main useful developments have already been described, however, what is the reason for such a breakthrough? It's simple: the country's demography depends on the standard of living in it. This is partly tied to instincts, because the worse the conditions, the stronger the need to leave offspring, protecting their family from extinction.
Japan is a very developed state, therefore, the birth rate in it is quite low, and the number of aging people is growing every year, as is the need for self-development among young people. More and more people want to use their intellectual and creative potential, which leads to a shortage of labor in the service sector. In fact, the Japanese android robot is designed to replace a person in an unclaimed position.
It is worth saying that this has long been happening in most civilized countries, but in them jobs are occupied by immigrants who agree to work for a penny, just to get out of their wilderness. But Japan is not one of them, since it honors history and traditions, and the memory of people is several times longer than in other states. Two centuries ago, a foreigner would have been silently hacked on the road, not disdaining the public, because the Land of the Rising Sun for a very long time adhered to a closed-door policy. Of course, today the population of Japan is much more friendly to gaijins (foreigners), but few agree to hire them, and only if the candidate is exceptional.